A former FBI agent with 25 years of experience has outlined three key tactics that can be employed if held at gunpoint, emphasizing de-escalation and self-preservation. Joe Navarro, who served as a special agent and supervisor, shared these strategies in an interview, drawing from his own experiences with armed assailants.
Navarro's first recommendation is to humanize oneself by communicating personal connections, such as having a family or loved ones. This approach aims to make it psychologically more difficult for an attacker to inflict harm by highlighting the victim's humanity.
The second tactic involves speaking in a low, soothing voice. The goal is to calm the aggressor and reduce tension, rather than escalating the confrontation. Navarro stated that this method was crucial in his own two encounters with armed individuals, one involving a knife and the other a gun.
Creating Distance
The third tactic advises slowly creating distance from the assailant when it is safe to do so. Navarro stressed that his priority in dangerous situations was not to overpower an attacker but to lower the tension and encourage the aggressor to perceive him as a person rather than a target.
Navarro explained that these principles of creating psychological comfort were also applicable in his FBI interrogations. He noted that body language can indicate stress or discomfort, even if a person is not saying anything incriminating. However, he cautioned that body language alone cannot definitively determine deception, but rather signals potential areas for further questioning.
He recalled using this approach during an investigation where a suspect’s reaction to the mention of an ice pick as a murder weapon revealed his connection to the crime. Similarly, he noted an instance where a witness's reaction to a name during an interview indicated a hidden link to espionage activities.
Navarro emphasized that his methods focused on reducing the immediate threat and establishing a connection, rather than engaging in physical confrontation. The strategies are designed to navigate a terrifying moment by appealing to the attacker's humanity and promoting a calmer interaction.