Experts’ life-saving advice on how to survive an armed robbery

It must have been terrifying for a 35-year-old FedEx driver. Thursday evening in Edison as it was getting dark, he was switching out trailers when three men in masks and dark clothing confronted him with a gun. They held him at gunpoint and forced him to drive to a different location where a box truck was waiting. Then made him unload what he had in his truck and into theirs.

They left him zip tied and took off with the stolen items. After about ten minutes he managed to free himself and he used his Apple watch to call 911. Police are searching for suspects.

It happens too often. Even when a trigger isn’t pulled, there can be lasting impact. Police say in the first few days after an armed robbery a victim typically goes through anxiety, helplessness, anger, shock, fear, etc.. For a few days you may be withdrawn, overreact to sudden movements or loud noises. After a week to a month of reliving the event in your mind and potentially having dreams about it, for most people the feelings wear off. For some professional help needs to be sought.

During an armed robbery there are certain things you can do to keep yourself alive. Ranker.com shared advice from a number of experts.

Stay Calm

This sounds like the ultimate easier said than done. No one thinks it’s going to happen to them so the time to remind yourself of the importance of keeping calm is every now and then before it occurs. Odds are the person with a gun to your head does not want to end your life. Even for someone hardened it’s a difficult thing to do. They are probably just desperate for whatever they want from you which isn’t your life.

But they’ll be just as nervous as you. They may be shaking. They may overreact. So YOU being calm will help THEM remain calm. Move slowly, speak slowly.

Make Eye Contact

This one surprised me. But this is an expert’s advice. Why does it surprise me? Because I thought not looking a gunman in the eye would have them feel you’re less likely to be able to identify them later therefore less the need to pull their trigger. But experts say looking them in the eye forms an instant psychological bond with someone, even a bad someone, and it humanizes you and makes them less likely to kill you.

Know When To Stop Being Compliant

While experts say surviving a gunman is largely a matter of being compliant, you also need to know when it’s time to be less compliant.

For example, being robbed of your car where they tell you to get out of the vehicle is one thing. Do it. Your car is covered by insurance. Get out of the car.

However, if a gunman tries to take you with him, experts say you need to be on your own in quickly assessing the situation and looking to see if there could be a means of escape. Generally speaking a victim should never let themselves be taken from initial crime scene A to a probably more secluded crime scene B. It’s at crime scene B that the person with the gun is much more powerful and can get away with whatever he wants.

Wait To Call 911

In the heat and adrenaline of the moment as soon as a gunman starts to walk off with your wallet or purse is when many people are already trying to call 911. Experts say do not do this. Wait. Yes, you’re scared, or maybe you’re angry. But resist the urge to reach out for help until the gunman is at least 100 feet away. This greatly reduces the likelihood of them being able to shoot you.

Odds are you’ll never need this advice, but it’s good advice to think about ahead of time and run practice drills in your mind. In 2022 there were 44,086 armed robberies using a gun in the United States. That same year there were an additional 11,797 armed robberies using a knife or similar cutting instrument. Stay safe.