Several violent carjackings in recent weeks, some in broad daylight; How can you protect yourself?
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- There have been a number of violent carjackings in recent weeks in and around Milwaukee. Some have involved suspects with guns, and others have involved suspects using physical force in an effort to steal vehicles. Many of these crimes have involved female victims. One happened in the usually quiet area surrounding a Menomonee Falls strip mall -- in broad daylight. The female victim was able to speed away and call police, but 911 calls show she was quite shaken by what nearly happened to her. So how can you best protect yourself?
Charrita Townsend isn't an easy target. She works as a professional security guard. She's trained at Vantage Tactical in Glendale, a business that offers self-defense, weapons safety, law enforcement and public safety training. Vantage Tactical officials say they've been working with members of the general public who want to be able to protect themselves should they find themselves in a violent situation.
UW-Milwaukee police and the Milwaukee Police Department have been busy this week investigating 10 violent incidents that have occurred on the city's East Side, near the UW-Milwaukee campus. One of these incidents was an attempted sexual assault. The others were armed or strong armed robberies -- many involving female victims and suspects intent on stealing their vehicle.
In Franklin early Tuesday morning, April 21st, at the Walmart store on S. 27th Street, a woman screamed for help as she was beaten by a group of men and teens in an attempted carjacking that later involved a police pursuit.
On Tuesday night, a woman was shot and seriously injured during a carjacking near 50th and Locust. The suspect was able to get away with the woman's vehicle. That suspect, a 17-year-old boy with a lengthy criminal history eventually led officers on a pursuit using that stolen car. He has been taken into custody.
Pablo Velazquez is a use of force instructor and security specialist with Vantage Tactical. He's been busy training women to protect themselves when presented with what could be a violent situation.
"Size, age does not matter. Gender does not matter. If you can increase the distance between you and an assailant by 15 yards, you increase your survivability by 87%," Velazquez said.
Velazquez says it is extremely important to ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings. That means putting the phone away when you are, say, walking to your car.
"One safety tip from the pros -- when you're approaching your car, always have your keys ready to go. Then when you get in, the first thing you do -- lock the door," Velazquez said.
Another tip: If a crook is demanding your car keys -- throw them behind the suspect.
"Give me your keys, give me your keys. You don't want to do that. You're going to throw them behind me. That forces me to turn around to get the keys -- and you can run away," Velazquez said.
If you find yourself with a gun pointed at you and you choose to run, Velazquez says you should run behind the suspect so you're not an easy target.
Vantage Tactical offers rigorous self-defense classes and refresher courses. CLICK HERE to learn more.
FOX6 News has learned Vantage Tactical is organizing a free safety class for women due to both the interest and crime that has been occurring in recent weeks.
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