Worthwhile Information Revealed in Video of Crossroads Mall Attack

Gun Watch ^ | 8 October, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Surveillance video of the Crossroads Mall stabbing attack and the shooting by Jason Falconer has revealed many previously unknown details.  They show that a determined attacker can absorb many hits before they are stopped.

The attacker used two kitchen knives.  The have about five inch blades, with smooth handles and small, smooth guards.  I wouldn't be surprised to find cuts on the attackers hands from his own blades.

A practical response at the Northwoods Candy Emporium illustrates the effectiveness of barriers against attackers with contact weapons.  An unnamed, quick thinking defender pulls down the gate to the store, denying the attacker access only two steps before he would have gained entry.  That portion of the video is very blurry, but the defender goes into a back room and comes out with something in his right hand.  It might be a personal defensive weapon.

We learn that Jason Falconer was approached by the attacker, and asked if he was a Muslim.  Falconer observed that the attacker had knives in his hands. The attacker came at him, and Falconer produced his weapon. The attacker fled, with Falconer pursuing. 

Link to video

(added content) Jason Falconer is the armed citizen who stopped the mass stabbing in the Crossroads Center Mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Saturday evening, September 18th, 2016.  Falconer is competitive shooter, firearms instructor and CEO of Tactical Advantage.

Falconer is seen running after the attacker in Macey's.  The attacker turns down an aisle, then stops, and gets down on the floor.  He then jumps up and charges at Falconer.  Falconer fires and retreats, backing up at right angles to the attacker.  Just after Falconer fires another shot, and the attacker goes down, Falconer trips going backward, and falls down himself, eerily similar to Kim Woodman falling backward while firing on a charging brown bear earlier this year.

It isn't over yet.  Falconer gets back up, and displays his badge.  The attacker manages to regain his feet.  The two engage in a cat and mouse dance among the displays. It looks as if Falconer is expecting the attacker to go back down, but he keeps on moving.  Then in a grotesque, Monty Pythonesque attack, he comes at Falconer again.

Falconer is forced to backpedal as the attacker comes at him. The attacker spins around and comes at Falconer by fast walking backward at him.  Falconer is forced to shoot at least twice more.  It is easy to see how defenders may end up shooting attackers in the back.  This video is likely to be used in court in many future shooting defenses.

If you only look at still shots from that sequence, it appears as if Falconer is pursuing the attacker and shooting him as he runs away.  The exact opposite is happening.  The attacker is advancing backward, and Falconer is retreating as he is firing.  It is a good example of how images can fool the eye.

In total, we are told that Falconer hit the attacker six times.  The attacker died of exsanguination (bleeding out).

The caliber, make and model of Falconer's pistol has not become available yet.  The blocky outline in the top screenshot looks very Glockish to me.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 

[marktwain]

Bizare to watch the attacker advance backwards on Jason Falconer, as Falconer retreats and fires.

[wastoute]

Read Ayoob’s Incident in Miami. Even +P 9 mm can not do what .45 ACP was invented to do.

[Nifster]

That’s why a head shot is important

[exnavy]

Anyone know the weapon and caliber Jason carries?

[MNnice]

I bet Falconer is seriously reconsidering whether 9mm is the caliber he will be using going forward. I carry a .357 loaded with 200 GR hollow points.

[OKSooner]

I want some of those 200 grain hollow points for my .357, can you post a link?

[Tijeras_Slim]

The old ninja moonwalk attack...

[Tijeras_Slim]

Both Cor-Bon and Double Tap make a 200 grain load. I’d not want to try firing it out of a Smith J frame though.

[TexasGator]

Interesting downstream comments critiquing this USPSA Shooter, 3-Gunner, and NRA-certified firearms instructor, former police chief andetails range owner.

[Little Pig]

Cheaperthandirt has boxes of 20 357 Magnum 200gr for $18.98, just search handgun ammo by caliber, then filter for 357 and grain size over on the left side of the page.

[SargeK]

Shot placement is everything. Hits not delivered directly to the ‘fatal t’ may be lethal but not immediately so. This was the case in the FBI Miami shootout, where IIRC all of the law enforcement casualties came after the perp had sustained a “non-survivable” wound.

Falconer showed a warrior heart, well trained and disciplined. I doubt many people could deliver the shots he did with greater precision. The fine marksmanship skills that one may display on the range that allow you to hit the head of a stationary paper target at 25 yards go right out the window in a real CQB.

Practice shooting on the move. Practice moving to and shooting from cover. Practice tactical reloading and jam clearing. Carry the largest caliber weapon that you can shoot rapidly and effectively. All else being equal, the bigger the permanent wound channel, the more rapidly incapacitation will set in. It isn’t instantaneous. Stay behind cover and keep your weapon trained until the target is good and ‘incapacitated’.

[exnavy]

The only thing I would add to your comment, when it comes to knock down power, bigger is better, as long as the shooter can recover swiftly for follow up shots.

[OKSooner]

Yes, 200 grain Hard Cast Flat Nose in both cases, which would have terminal performance somewhat different than 125 or 158 grain hollow point, if you know what I mean. :)

[Delta 21]

Snubby .357 loaded with 125 gr at about 1300 fps for when its time to get serious.

[capt. norm]

Those knives look like “Chicago Cutlery” steak knives (good quality) like I’m using right now on my early lunch.