Consider this scenario: In Lubbock, Texas, police officers responded to calls of an elderly woman in her own home posing a threat to those around her. Unable to contact the woman, the officers identified themselves and entered the home. The woman, unwilling to believe the officers were legitimate, armed herself with a handgun. As one of the officers rounded a corner, she put the gun to his head. The officer, who had recently gone through krav maga training, responded by redirecting the line of fire and controlling the weapon as he had been taught. Once the officer made the initial redirection, he had control of the weapon Remember that a gunman will not be passive. The moment you defend yourself, he will fight to put the line of fire back on you, and he may even strike you to accomplish that. You must control the weapon so the line of fire can never be redirected at you. Even though krav maga techniques are effective at preventing more than one round (the one already chambered) from firing, you should always assume the weapon can continue to shoot. Krav maga techniques assume that once you’ve made an initial redirection, the assailant will pull back on the weapon to put you in front of the muzzle again. (If he doesn’t pull, the techniques are that much easier.) Therefore, you must burst in, putting your weight inward and downward on the gun. If the weapon remains up in a shooting position, he will have more control of it; but once you get the weapon down and in, his control will be limited. You must be prepared to move your feet to keep putting weight on the weapon even if he struggles or collapses from your punch. [ti_billboard name="Neutralizing Gun Attacks 2"] About the Author: John Whitman is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and third-degree black-belt krav maga instructor with more than 10 years of experience in the system. For more information about krav maga, visit kravmaga.com. The following article is an excerpt from The Ultimate Guide to Reality-Based Self-Defense. This book gives you the keys to unconditional survival. Featuring some of the best self-defense articles from the Black Belt archives, the book explores a wide spectrum of violent situations, delves into the criminal mind, and teaches you how to effectively assess a violent situation and act accordingly.