Monday, August 18, 2008

He was "bagged"

Australia -- A 24-year-old Hornsby (Sydney) woman was threatened with a sexual assault while going to work at a nursing home Monday, according to smh.com.au.

A man reportedly approached her as she was walking along the street. The 22-year-old man - who was later arrested - started talking to her and she walked up a pathway, according to police.

The man then took out a knife, held it to the woman's throat from behind - threatening to kill her. However, the young woman pushed the attackers knife away, turned around and hit him with her bag. She then allegedly kicked him and ran away.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Reasonable force?

It is always hard to determine how much force - and what type of force - is needed in any type of altercation.

It is very easy to be wise after the event! However, it may seem like these folks here (from Rootstown Township, Ohio) didn't have the skills and training needed to restrain a shoplifter who tried to take off - something very few have any type of experience to deal with unfortunately.

It is not too difficult if you work as a team - and if you have the proper type of techniques to hold someone (alone it is very difficult, no matter what your training might be).

What most people do wrong is to use too much weight upon a prone person - in effect choking the person to death, or using too much force on the neck or chest.

If something goes terribly wrong, you may end up being the target of a lawsuit, like the people in this case seems to be subject to.

In January 2004, a shop-lifter walked to a store parking lot after loading a cart with groceries. A manager and an employee approached the man, whereupon he attacked the employee. The two workers and two passers-by tried to restrain the man while waiting for police.

With the four men on top of him, the man died of asphyxiation from force applied to his neck and torso within minutes. A County coroner reportedly ruled the death a homicide.

A scary list

Idaho -- A convicted Ontario sex offender has allegedly made a list of 32 girls to "look up" once he gets out of jail. Now parents worry for their children's safety as the man is soon to be released.

One parent talked about how their kids in effect were prisoners. "we don't know what to do to make it better for them," the parent said.

Sheriff's deputies reportedly found a list the man had written. It was titled "people to look up". 32 local girls between the ages of 6 and 17 were on the list, including his original 15 year old victim.

In order to come up with his list, authorities alleges the man read newspaper articles about the girls. It is said the list is so detailed it that had everything short of an address to look these girls up.

And still we somehow tend to hang on to this all-to-prevalent idea about 'random violence'...

Monday, August 04, 2008

Realtors assaulted

There has been a couple of assaults on female Realtors (real estate agents) lately. In New Zealand, a 41-year-old agent was lured to a remote Wairarapa property -- a house east of Carterton -- by a 38-year-old man Saturday morning.

The woman fought for her life and stabbed her attacker who allegedly assaulted, bound and tried to kidnap her. As the would-be kidnapper attempted to force her into the boot of his car, she made her escape by grabbing a screwdriver and stabbing him in the head.

In South Bend, Indiana (US), police said a man attacked a local Realtor as she was showing him a house for sale Friday afternoon.

As he was shown the basement, the man reportedly produced a knife, demanded money and grabbed the Realtor. The woman fought him off, and he took off while she called police.

With the current housing crisis, police now begin to worry real estate agents may be less cautious.