Basics 14: Drunks

 

Andrew Walls

This is Andrew Walls.  He’s 26-years old, a racist, and intoxicated.  You may have seen the video.  He wanders out of a bar in the Highland Square area of Akron, Ohio, and you can tell from his movements he’s had a bit to drink.  Walking down the street yelling N-Word this and N-Word that, is your second clue that he is out of control.

A 23-year-old woman hearing and observing him elects to become involved with some corrective non-abusive language.  Andrew responds almost instantly by punching her in the face, pivoting he punches a second woman.  He was later arrested and charged with possessing a firearm while intoxicated and two accounts of assault.  I don’t know if there will be additional charges later.  He had a gun, and things could have gone very much worse.

The normal social barriers dissolve in alcohol.  There is little if any wall between thought and action.  You may have thought that handling a drunk would be easy.  It is not. 

I watched the video.  You should, too.  I didn’t see any pre-attack indicators.  He instantly lashed out, striking his target.  Maybe Bruce Lee or Doug Marcaida could have blocked that punch, but for the rest of us, not so much.  Remember, action beats reaction

Here is what I want you to get out of this:

Don't get involved with developing situations unless it is your job or it appears it will involve you.

Drunks can be dangerous.  Expect violence out of proportion to the situation.

Use reactive distance.  What is the Tueller drill, but an exercise of reactive distances?

The 23-year-old woman is Black and offended.  Still, not saying anything or reporting a public disturbance to the police would have kept her from harm.