I’m no self-defense expert, not even close. But some of what I’ve read on the subject is illustrated in the video above. Before I explain what I mean, I’ll give you the skinny on the surveillance footage the video showcases.

Back in 2013, Miami-Dade Police officer Mario Gutierrez saw a man by the name of Dominique Jean attempting to set afire gas storage tanks at a gas station near the Miami International Airport.

Gutierrez runs over to confront the suspect. But when he gets there, Jean immediately begins attacking him with an 8-inch knife and a screwdriver.

Jean stabs Gutierrez repeatedly before the officer draws his gun and fatally shoots the suspect. Gutierrez watched the video for the first time this week.

“What I noticed right away was 80-percent of that video, I don’t remember. I was doing things there that, to this day, I have no recollection of,” Gutierrez told WSVN.

When fighting for his life, Gutierrez said there was one thing that kept him alive.

“The determination to see my family. That to me was the most important thing. I did not want to die and never see them again,” he said.

For his heroism under immense stress, Gutierrez was awarded several commendations, including a Congressional Badge of Bravery, a Presidential Citation, and an Officer of the Year award.

The veteran officer, who underwent multiple surgeries, is now back on the job. But the trauma of the incident has haunted him, as he has admitted to having vivid nightmares.

“I’m going to finish my career and then spend my retirement with my family and enjoy that and be in peace until the day I leave this Earth,” said Guiterrez.

Here are my takeaways, based upon what I know about defensive gun use and close-quarters self-defense. Again, I’m not an expert, but I’ve covered this subject extensively over the years.

Distance Matters

In any fight, distance matters. In this particular case, it would appear that Guiterrez got too close too fast.

Remember, an assailant can close a distance of 20 feet in a couple of seconds. What this means is that when one approaches a threat, one better have one’s weapon drawn with a clear sight picture, and a mindset to engage the threat.  Failure to do so can lead to what we witness in the video.

Knives Aren’t Toys

Some of my idiot, non-gun owning friends are constantly critical of deadly-force encounters when it’s a knife-wielding suspect who is shot and killed by a gun-toting victim. “He’s only got a knife,” they argue, “Why did they have to kill him? Couldn’t they have just shot him in the leg?,” they ask incredulously.

Well, watching this video will hopefully teach anyone with that mindset that knives are no joke. They are indeed deadly weapons. In this respect, it’s actually quite amazing that Guiterrez survived the encounter.

TV Violence is B.S.

This is an obvious one. But when one watches real violence on video it’s nothing like the clean, choreographed violence we see on TV and in movies. It’s ugly, it’s raw, and it’s visceral. Instead of clean blows that land on their target perfectly, what one witnesses is a chaotic scrum of hits, punches, kicks, slaps, choking, clawing, wrestling, etc.

Whenever I see an actual fight, more often than not I’m reminded how important it is for one to learn basic grappling skills. Most fights end up with the combatants on the ground. This case was no exception. And that’s something that you don’t often see in the movies.

Train, Train, Train

Part of the reason officer Gutierrez survived this encounter was, as he put it, “It’s the training. Definitely the training the department gives us. Top notch.”

Training is key. Learning how to respond to conflict, to de-escalate a situation, to identify a threat, to shoot under duress, to fight, to administer basic life-saving measures (CPR) are all things that any serious gun owner should do. The only way to acquire these skills is train, train, train!  So, heaven forbid, you ever find yourself in a life-threatening situation you don’t need to think about what to do, you’ll already be prepared to do it.

Never Stop Fighting

When you stop, you’re dead. It’s that simple. Along with his training, what ultimately kept Guiterrez alive was his refusal to be a victim, his refusal to stop fighting.

I don’t know if this something that is learned or whether it’s inborn within some of us, but that attitude of never giving up and never surrendering is one of the core characteristics of the firearms community. If we have a creed as gun owners, that’s certainly part of it.

I know I don’t have to tell you, but never stop, never give up, and never surrender to death. Don’t go gently into that good night.

Conclusion

So, those are some of the things I noticed in watching the video. What did you see that caught your attention? What did you learn by watching it?