Surviving a Knife Fight With a Gun! (Assess, Position and Influence)

Source: Wall321.com 

Updated at 15:55 hr

This past Friday,  an  unknown subject (unsub) was wielding a knife and walked around the San Jose State University campus,  looking quite threatening and lethal.  ... 

Two San Jose State University police officers arrived at the scene and ordered him to drop to the ground. The "unsub" advanced toward the police officers.  One officer attempted to use a taser device to neutralize him. Somehow, that tactic failed. The other officer who feared for his life and his partner's life, killed this knife-wielding person with two gunshots.

Neither officers were injured.

Assess, Position and Influence
“These are the ways that successful strategists are victorious. They cannot be spoken or transmitted in advance. ... Before the confrontation, they resolve in their mind that they will be victorious, have determined that the majority of factors are in their favor. Before the confrontation they resolve in their mind that they will not be victorious, have determined a few factors are in their favor.

If those who find that the majority of factors favor them, will be victorious while those who have found few factors favor them will be defeated, what about someone who finds no factors in their favor?

When observing from this viewpoint, victory and defeat will be apparent.”

- Art of War 1 (Paraphrased from the Sawyer's translation)

The police assessed the field (the configuration of the terrain) and concluded the open state of the space, the number of sidewalk speculators and  determined the character of the person (external leadership) as dangerous all within 10 seconds or less.

Position
The police officers used the tactic of staying a minimum of 50-100 feet away from their "unsub" while drawing their firearm on him.  ... They had the resources of the firearms, the tasers and the probable backup support from the other law enforcement officers . 

Because of the open terrain, the distance and the technology (firearms), the police strategy was to subdue the "unsub" immediately with no harm done to anyone by using the taser first. If the tactic is not effective and the armed unsub becomes a threat. Their only option was to neutralize him quickly.

Influence 
One officer used the taser.  However the tactic failed.  The other officer was forced to implement the lethal option.

Comments  
There are people who have watched too many martial art movies or cop movies, thinking that the skilled martial artist or police officer would use some finesse move to stop an criminal from performing any harmful acts.  . . .  Life is different.  . . . The police will take the most effective but pragmatic decision for the purpose of self-preservation. They are trained to follow their near-perfect training system while following the letter of the law. If these professionals are threatened during and after the duty time, the act of self defense is always justified. 

It has been rumored that highly skilled knife players who could position within certain distance of their gun-wielding fighter, have an equal chance of prevailing.   ...  However, no one feels lucky enough to experiment that scenario in real time.

Humorously, this post could have been titled "Never take a knife to a gunfight." ...   In a near-unpredictable tactical situation, the successful field strategists have always focus on their strengths while concealing their weaknesses.  . . .  It is a basic strategy rule.  . . . 
Knowing the exception to that rule is the tangible secret that ultra class strategists hold to the breast pockets of their suits.

Hint:

Preparing for this scenario is always a challenge. Click here for some pointers.  Personally, I preferred a pen over a sword.  . . . 

Side Notes
Unlike this situation, we have always believed in having an implement that has a greater technological advantage than to rely on a tactical-driven implement.  
 . . .  When operating in a tactical scenario where the competition has the technological advantage, the successful strategist who has the diversity of tactics, knows how to prevail over that disadvantage.   . . . The probability of prevailing in this situation is always questionable because of the pertinence of the time factor and the resources factor.  . . .  

"Thus one who excels at warfare first establishes himself in a position where he cannot be defeated while not losing any opportunity to defeat the enemy.
For this reason, the victorious army first realizes the conditions for victory, and then seeks to engage in battle. The vanquished army fights first and then seeks victory.
One who excels at employing the military cultivates the Tao and preserves the laws; therefore, he is able to be the regulator of victory and defeat.  ..."  -Art of War  4