It’s About Training, Stupid

Story today from hospital in Munster, Indiana.

The site of the shooting

Mentally ill patient attacks nurse who calls for help. Two security guards enter the room. The patient overpowers both guards and gets one in a chokehold. The second guard draws his gun and fires twice, killing both the patient and the other guard.

OK, what’s wrong with this story?

(1) The guards appear to lack adequate martial arts training allowing them to subdue the patient without the use of lethal force. Or if trained, the guards may be unfit.

(2) A guard is such poor shot that he can hit the wrong target at point blank range. Or he simply panicked, which is a training issue as well.

We may have problems with police not having adequate training, but security guards aren’t even up to police standards in most areas. And yet they carry guns.

In what galaxy does this make sense?

Training for police and guards should be intense and subject to annual recertification. In many areas, we do a more thorough job of supervising school bus drivers!

By the way, in the original media report, it was stated that the patient grabbed the guard’s gun and fired. Accordingly to police, that was not in fact the case. The surviving guard fired both shots.

Sources:

1. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-flow/security-guard-accidentally-shot-killed-fellow-guard-in-scuffle-with-patient-at-indiana-hospital-prosecutor-says.html?origin=BHRE&utm_source=BHRE&utm_medium=email&utm_source=BHRE&utm_medium=email&oly_enc_id=8808A6410178J6C