Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/320907
35 www.officer.com June 2014 Law Enforcement Technology FIREARMS in response to a close quarter threat. The problem is that leaning your upper body away from the threat inherently compromises your balance. 2. Be aggressive! In close confines, aggressiveness often trumps technique. Think of running over the suspect; make them "speed rock." Not only will this disrupt the sus- pect's balance, it will shift focus from hurting you to not getting hurt. 3. Address the suspect's weapon first When an armed sus- pect has the drop on you, trying to immediately draw your gun is ill-advised. If you don't believe me, familiarize your- self with the work of Dennis Tueller. In close quarters, you must address the suspect's weapon first. 4. Be proficient in counter-weapon tactics Thanks to the Action vs. Reaction principle, it is quite possible to get out of the line of fire and control a suspect's gun before he can pull the trigger. You may even be able to actually take the gun away from him. Disarming an edged weapon in motion, on the other hand, is far less likely. A more real- istic option is to protect your head and neck as you drive the suspect onto his heels. From there, disengage and draw your gun. 5. Be able to aim without seeing your sights In a deadly force encounter at arm's length, you won't have the luxury of bringing your gun up to eye level. Doing so, would leave you susceptible to being disarmed. By indexing your gun to your chest in a consistent manner, you can use your body to aim. 6. Learn to shoot from retention As the suspect closes in, you need to retract your gun to prevent him from grabbing it. A two-handed close quarter shooting position affords optimal leverage but ties up both hands. The one-handed close quarter hold, with your gun hand anchored to your body, aids in gun retention and leaves you a free hand with which to fight or fend. Due to the orientation of your muz- zle when shooting from the one-handed close quarter hold, your rounds will impact low. Top: Clutching with your off-hand could cause an inadvertent trigger press. Keep your finger off the trigger until youÕve made the decision to fire. Above: With the right mindset, even an empty gun can be used as a weapon. At Left: The close quarter shooting position helps safeguard your pistol and lets you ÒaimÓ without your sights. Photos courtesy of Alfredo Rico Are you prepared to win an armÕs length gunfight? LET_34-39_DeadDistance0614.indd 35 5/20/14 1:46 PM