KCRA.com has reported the story of a Natomas man held up at gunpoint while stopped, in his car, at the intersection of Great Egret and Duckhorn yesterday afternoon.
THE BUZZ asked Sac PD Capt. Daniel Hahn, what people should do in situations such as this frightening armed robbery. Here is his response:
If you are in the terrible situation of being robbed you should do what your instincts tell you to do.
There is no one response that will fit every situation — every incident is different. But, as a general rule — your life and health are always worth more then money or physical objects such as cell phones. Generally, you should comply with the robber and give him or her anything they want and they will flee.
One thing you can do pro-actively is remember everything about the suspect or any car they were driving. Immediately write down anything you can remember about the suspect. You will be surprised how much you don’t remember after a traumatic event such as this.
And for anyone that is a witness to this sort of activity — please be a good witness and tell the police what you saw. Robbers don’t stop after one robbery — they continue unless we catch them.
Together, not only can we catch robbers, but we can also prevent robberies.
When I first saw this report from Capt. Hahn on his daily email list, I thought: If I were driving and he were on foot, I would run him down with my car. Guess I’m just tired of the bad guys…Trixie
I would too, IF he were fumbling for his gun and running towards me straight on. However, robbers use the element of surprise. He probably used a ruse to talk to the motorist, and then pulled the gun when he was at the driver’s window. This is all speculation, of course, but while I’d like to say the same thing, the fact is we never know quite how we’d react until and unless it happens to us.
I just meant AFTER he robbed me and was running away, which is what the article indicated. But you are right, I would probably be too spooked to do much of anything :)
Trixie
I witnessed an armed robbery 15 years ago. In the immediate aftermath, I was literally speechless. I mean literally — I couldn’t form words — and I wasn’t even the target. Those who know me realize how serious that is! ;-) Ever since, I have had an appreciation of how we never really know how I’d react if it ever happens to me.