Proper Response to Knife and Edged Weapon Attacks – Part 1

NOTE: The topic of mass-violence and terror incidents involving knives is covered in more depth in my book Run. Hide. Fight. – including decision-making under stress, attacker behavior, and mental preparation.This article does not replace training. It can, however, help set realistic expectations and keep you from being completely unprepared when things go sideways. (English Edition soon to be released)

Knives and other edged weapons are among the most commonly used tools in violent crime. That includes so-called “Active Shooter” incidents – yes, even when no shots are fired. According to the official definition used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, attacks with knives fall under the same category.

Edged weapons are easy to acquire, easy to conceal, and capable of causing fatal injuries within seconds. That combination is exactly what makes them so dangerous – and why they are used over and over again.

We see this pattern in spontaneous acts of violence as well as in deliberate attacks in public spaces. Not only in Europe, where incidents like this have become disturbingly frequent, but also very recently here in my new home, Bangkok:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7vNYPpvC_OI

A knife attack is not a fair fight. It is not a duel. In most cases, it is an ambush. The idea that you will clearly see the attacker coming, have time to react, and then somehow “control” the blade belongs in movies, not in real life. Many victims only realize what is happening after they have already been injured.

Awareness as the first layer of defense

The most important protective factor against knife attacks is not strength, speed, or fighting skill. It is awareness.

Most victims are attacked while mentally disengaged: staring at their phone, wearing headphones, lost in thought, or simply assuming that nothing bad will happen here. That mental state makes people easy targets.

By contrast, someone who moves through the environment with calm but deliberate awareness is far more likely to pick up early warning signs. These can include people closing distance without a clear reason, hands that are hidden or tense, path-crossing behavior, or focused fixation. This is not paranoia. It is perception.

Awareness costs very little. The lack of it can cost your life.

Distance equals life

Once a threat becomes concrete, one rule applies without exception: distance saves lives. Knives dominate at close range. Every additional meter between you and the attacker significantly improves your chances.

For that reason, escape is always the preferred option. Early movement, changing direction, using obstacles, and increasing distance all force the attacker out of his advantage. Cars, tables, doors, and other barriers are not guarantees of safety, but they can buy you critical seconds.

Dead ends, on the other hand, are lethal mistakes and should be avoided whenever possible. A fast, decisive, and sufficiently long escape saves lives.

Nothing protects you from a knife attack as reliably as putting a few hundred meters between yourself and the threat!

This also applies to a very human reaction: stopping to watch, or worse, pulling out a phone to film. In the linked video, we can see the person filming recognizing the danger, creating distance, and attempting to place a barrier between himself and the attacker – yet still remaining within a potentially dangerous area. We also see several other people who simply stop and observe the situation from a (way to short!) short distance.

This is not criticism from an ivory tower. It is a common and well-documented reaction in unexpected high-stress situations, especially when no better plan – such as immediate escape – is already established in the mind.

One final note: extreme danger tends to produce tunnel vision. Tunnel vision leads to secondary hazards.

Or, to put less academically: move fast and decisively, but don’t run straight into an incoming bus!

In Part 2, we will look at additional options when escape is not possible and cover the most essential first aid principles for stab and slash wounds.

Stay aware. Stay safe.

Alex