Defending against someone who is mentally ill

[Odinvalknir]

Recently I watched a video making the rounds online.

A man in military fatigues elbows and punches a (black oh no) man a few times after the dude spit on his truck and smacked the door with a skateboard (are skateboards the weapon of choice for some people now?)

After the assault on the vehicle he proceeds to walk up to the sargent's face. The military fatigue guy is none other than Richard Hy, drill sargeant and police officer known better as Angry Cops.

Of course everyone IMMEDIATELY gets in his face about being a racist etc etc yadda yadda. Something Hy says in the video struck me, "of course I'm gonna hit him first, I'm not going to give him the chance to hit me!"


I guess somewhere it came out later that the man has mental issues and it well known in the town for going around starting fights with people and generally being a punk. We can have a discussion on how the mental health industry is a failed garbage entity. But I figure just because someone has mental issues doesn't make them any less dangerous.


So whether you knew it or not, and a person with mental health problems walked up and started beating on you, or worse, pulled a knife, bat, gun, etc. Wouldn't you actively stop the threat? In the video Hy hits the man 3 times, then sits on him while waiting for cops to show. The man on the ground keeps saying somethinike "I've been waiting for this! Thank you!"


Hy is a drill instructor and police officer, though some of his youtube videos have gotten him in trouble with the latter. Anyway that's my question, what would you do?

[PUCKER]

Stop the threat - my safety / wellbeing is at the top of my list...someone that's mentally ill may actually be *more* of a threat than a "normal" person. Many folks with mental illness are violent (and many are not). My best bud was bi-polar. When he was violent it was BAD.

[TxRVer]

But I figure just because someone has mental issues doesn't make them anymore dangerous.

Did you mean to say 'any less dangerous'?

[Tex1961]

But I figure just because someone has mental issues doesn't make them anymore dangerous.

Did you mean to say 'any less dangerous'?

I was going to post the same thing, so

And also agree with @PUCKER

[Odinvalknir]

Stop the threat - my safety / wellbeing is at the top of my list...someone that's mentally ill may actually be *more* of a threat than a "normal" person. Many folks with mental illness are violent (and many are not). My best bud was bi-polar. When he was violent it was BAD.

This is pretty much my way of thinking as well. I have family members who are very bipolar and for the most part they aren't violent they are just highly emotional, but I can see where that emotion could turn into violence very quickly. And having been a EMT for a few years working for a private transport company I have seen patients both elderly and younger who had mental issues get very violent. My wife who also did the same job actually had an older man choke her to the point that she nearly blacked out. I told her job or no job, A little 100 lb 5 ft 2 female getting choked out by a man twice her size even elderly would have been shot.

[Odinvalknir]

But I figure just because someone has mental issues doesn't make them anymore dangerous.

Did you mean to say 'any less dangerous'?

FTFY lol.

[philip964]

The mentally ill defensive problem you may have could be a loved one.

Gather everyone one in your house up and leave. Don’t come back till the next day. Or in an hour or two and check on the loved one.

Do not call the police.

If you call the police, it seems to generally end bad.

Just my suggestion.

[johncanfield]

The topic begs the question of how would you know a person threatening you is mentally ill?

[PUCKER]

The topic begs the question of how would you know a person threatening you is mentally ill?

I tend to think of anyone that threatens me as mentally ill...I say that somewhat tongue in cheek...but also with some seriousness.

[Odinvalknir]

The topic begs the question of how would you know a person threatening you is mentally ill?

I suppose one could make the argument that someone who is out of their mind on drugs. But I generally think someone acting erratically and not "normal" is usually pretty obvious. But anger and rage tends to look the same across anyone. I suppose just like with any violent encounter, force should be equal to or greater within reason etc.

If you watch the video I'm talking about, it's not immediately evident that the man has mental issues, who knows though.

[grim-bob]

The mentally ill defensive problem you may have could be a loved one.

Gather everyone one in your house up and leave. Don’t come back till the next day. Or in an hour or two and check on the loved one.

Do not call the police.

If you call the police, it seems to generally end bad.

Just my suggestion.

I can't follow this logic..... so what about the next time they go off the mental rails if the remain un-medicated or continue not dealing with their issues? or the next day when they decide to kill you in your sleep? I have family that has had mental issues so am well aware of how fast things can go wrong with mental illnesses.... Often if it is this bad a few hours or even days won't make a bit of difference in their mental stability. It takes days to weeks at best for most to get back straight from anything that would push them into a violent mental state and that's with medical help. family or not if they are a threat then they are a threat. ignoring it and coming back later doesn't do you or them any favors IMO. I'm not hanging around waiting for a grenade to go off for anyone who let's their mental issues go unchecked.... I'll help them get to help and do whatever I can to support but if it becomes violent then standard self defense rules apply including involvement of medical and police if necessary.... It's sad and hard on families but still better than death at the hands of a mentally ill person....

[SQLGeek]

Do not call the police.

If you call the police, it seems to generally end bad.

I think you're unfairly making this statement based on a few, high profile incidents. The police may not be the right answer in all situations but that's still quite a leap.

[parabelum]

I’m not a psychiatrist or psychologist so I’m not going to spend any time analyzing who’s mentally ill, rather, I’ll assess whether they are a threat to me and respond accordingly.

[crazy2medic]

Stop the threat - my safety / wellbeing is at the top of my list...someone that's mentally ill may actually be *more* of a threat than a "normal" person. Many folks with mental illness are violent (and many are not). My best bud was bi-polar. When he was violent it was BAD.

This is pretty much my way of thinking as well. I have family members who are very bipolar and for the most part they aren't violent they are just highly emotional, but I can see where that emotion could turn into violence very quickly. And having been a EMT for a few years working for a private transport company I have seen patients both elderly and younger who had mental issues get very violent. My wife who also did the same job actually had an older man choke her to the point that she nearly blacked out. I told her job or no job, A little 100 lb 5 ft 2 female getting choked out by a man twice her size even elderly would have been shot.

I have found that 10mg of Versed misted up their nostrils is highly effective in getting them safely to a E.R.