19 Apr 02

Woman prevails in carjacking attempt; from a friend and instructor in South Africa:

"This lady is an acquaintance but not a student. She carries a pistol (Taurus 9mm, loaded with hardball) regularly but has never had any formal firearms training. She knew what to do nonetheless.

She drove alone to Capetown last week in order to attend a sales meeting. It was still dark when she parked her car in a lot. Two carjacking suspects rapidly approached her car as she was touching up her makeup in the rearview mirror. One opened the driver's side door, grabbed her by the hair and pushed her head into the steering wheel, all the time shouting at her to keep quiet. This is a common carjacking tactic over here. The suspects were trying to prevent her from getting a good look at them.

Her pistol was in her handbag, which was between her feet. She carried it in transport mode (chamber empty, magazine inserted), because she didn't know any better. She grabbed her pistol, chambered a round, stuck the muzzle up under her left armpit and then twisted her torso around so that the pistol was pointed at the suspect (right-handed steering in SA). Unaware, the suspect continued to repeatedly bang her face into the steering wheel.

She fired two rounds, one striking the first suspect in the groin. The bullet ranged upward and ultimately lodged in his lower back. It never exited. The suspect screamed and, at once, let her go. He fell backward, then got up and ran away. The second suspect also ran. No word on where the second bullet ended up, but it did not strike either suspect.

One suspect, painfully wounded, was arrested. His partner is still at large. The woman suffered cuts and abrasions but was not seriously hurt"

Lessons: >Without "The Spirit," all the fighting skills in the world are of little value. This woman didn't panic, spend her time looking for an excuse to lose, or lapse into denial. She confronted reality squarely, made a plan, remained focused, and went forward boldly. She fought back, and she was victorious.

>Bullies are not "fighters." In fact, when it looks as if there is going to be a fight, they quickly lose interest. In this case, when the first shot was fired, the carjackers' bravado abruptly disintegrated, and they fled like mice. In the final analysis, criminals are all cowards.

>Half the battle is failing the selection process! The woman was selected for victimization because: (1) She was alone in a parked car, (2) The doors were unlocked, and (3) She wasn't paying attention. Fortunately, with the help of her pistol, she was still able to turn the tables on her attackers.

/John