Typical escalation

This is a very typical - and tragic - episode of escalating violence.

Story:
Texas -- In Conroe, a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death and two others were injured in a disturbance outside a pub, according to chron.com.

The 23-year-old victim was stabbed with a knife late Thursday, police officials said. He was transported to a medical center, where he was pronounced dead.

Three men had just left the local pub and were walking to their car when they were confronted by three men in a pickup about 10:45 p.m.

An argument allegedly broke out and one of the men from the pickup began hitting the car with a small sledge hammer. A passenger from the car then reportedly stabbed the victim.

Going 'ball-istic'

Here's a typical "game" of escalation: Too males, sports fans, insults leading to injuries and charges being pressed. A quite game of dart leading to serious trouble. Way too typical male stupidity...

Story:
Oklahoma -- Words were reportedly exchanged at a bar in Oklahoma City between a 53-year-old University of Texas fan, and a University of Oklahoma Sooners fan - the latter, a church deacon and government auditor.

The exchange of words ended in a brawl leading to a torn scrotal sack with partially exposed testicles, according to a police report.

The OU fan said "something in a joking fashion to the guy about his Texas T-shirt," according to his attorney. "The guy got offended. My client said he was sorry," the attorney said.

The apology apparently wasn't enough for the Texas fan and the man then approached his client. The attorney said his client then grabbed the man in self-defense.

"The guy came over his other shoulder, and basically said, 'I'm getting ready to kick your you-know-what.' He said he felt threatened and he did what he thought he needed to do and grabbed him and left the place."

Source

Hazards at work, 44

Being hit by the student is bad. Hitting back is plain stupid. Could this retaliation have been avoided with a little knowledge and training? Quite probably.
Another thing is that the teacher really should have seen the punch coming. The pushing is a tell tale sign of escalation - in other words: a major red flag. Even more so when this student has what they call a "record of behavior issues"

Story:
Louisiana -- An 18-year-old student finished a test Tuesday and then shoved it in the teacher's chest. The 10th-grade teacher told her to take it back and hand it to him nicely, officials said. She shoved it in his chest again, school officials said, so the teacher repeated his request.

District officials said that on the final time, though, she threw the test in his face and followed up with a punch. He hit her back, officials said.

The 20-year teaching veteran was suspended with pay, and the student has been suspended indefinitely. The student has a record of behavior issues, according to the school district.

Source

Foreign nationals

I guess political correctness prevent these issues being debated in a clear, concise and non-racist manner; still, here's some statistics to think about.

Story:
More than 9,000 sex offenders have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials through a series of stings called Operation Predator in three years of operation, a 2006 Department of Homeland Security Report says. But some experts are wondering if the efforts are enough to protect innocent American children from being preyed on by returning criminal alien sex offenders.

Foreign nationals account for roughly 85 percent of child sex offenders arrested by the operation, which was launched by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge in July 2003, officials say. And as media previously has reported, authorities also have linked illegal aliens to a wave of gang-rapes across the U.S.

Deborah Schurman-Kauflin, a researcher of violent crimes and criminal profiler who consults with FBI, state and local police, said, "Illegal immigrants who commit sex crimes first cross the U.S. border illegally, then gradually commit worse crimes and are continually released back into society or deported. Those who were deported simply returned illegally again. There is a clear pattern of criminal escalation. From misdemeanors such as assault or DUI, to drug offenses, illegal immigrants who commit sex crimes break U.S. laws repeatedly."

Source

Step outside!

If you're asked outside to "have a go", or being followed out as you try to escape - sadly, this is what happens way too often.
Please remember - extremely few people fight "fair"!

Story:
UK -- A 19-year-old footballer and karate coach is in a coma a week after being attacked in a Calderdale pub on Mad Friday. The student was punched once after a row with a drinker in the Albert pub.

Police believe he crumpled to the ground outside the bar and bashed his head while his attacker fled.

He was out with work mates but left the busy pub after falling out with another drinker, possibly over a spilt drink.

The man followed him and hit him in the head from behind. He has not regained consciousness since the attack, which left him with two serious head injuries and a collapsed lung.

Source

Sudan

Four girls were attacked by two armed militias in uniform whilst collecting firewood outside the camp on 7 March 2006, around 11:30 a.m.

During the attack, one of the men assaulted one of the girls and attempted to rape her. When the girl resisted, the man began to beat her.

In defence, she grabbed the knife she had been using to cut the firewood and stabbed the attacker in the stomach. The four girls then managed to escape and returned to Seraif camp. Allegedly the girls reported the incident to police officers inside the camp who refused to file the case.

In the afternoon of the same day, police officers inside the camp were informed of the death of a stabbing victim - the man who was stabbed by the girl.

Following this news, the police officers immediately arrested the four girls on suspicion of murder. The girls were initially detained for five days and charged with murder.

Three of the girls were later released, but it is reported that Ms. Amouna Mohamed Ahmed (17), remains in detention and is awaiting trial for murder.

Source

Against a knife

Just get accustomed to the idea - if you defend yourself against a knife attack you will get cut. If it is someone skilled with a knife, then you are in a boatload of trouble! A knife is a dangerous weapon, and if you can run or escape, that must always be your first option.

Story:
A man was arrested yesterday in the stabbing of the owner of a martial-arts center, police and witnesses said.

The fight began with the two men screaming profanities at each other and then escalated.

Source

More "stunning" self-defense

This story is a confirmation of something I already knew after working in a security psychiatric ward: That there are some strange individuals out there.

It also taught me that I'm far crazier than I thought, but that's an issue for another day :-)

Anyhow, in this scenario we have a couple of issues. One is that we either have a really violent husband using a 600,000 volt stun-gun - or a drunk wife that obviously scares her man. Possibly both.

Personally I'll go along with the court that sentenced the man to 40 years in jail.

On a side note, I've learned never to trust a media report 100%.

Another issue is that when you have weapons lying around, it's easy to use them. I've seen it time and time again: people will grab anything - premeditated or not - and use it in a fight. Stones, sticks, knives, bottles, guns, road-signs, forks, ashtrays, TV-sets, lampshades, glasses, tables, chairs... You name it!

Many people arm themselves with things such as knives for "self-defense" and end up being convicted for using it (or carrying it). If your an adult who are trained in it's use, prepared for the consequences and risks involved, and who's allowed to carry it - by all means go ahead. If not - don't! Things escalate very, very fast...