Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood): I normally prefer not to get to know the people I’m protecting.
Lilly Raines (Rene Russo): Oh yeah? Why’s that?
Horrigan: Well, you never know. You might decide they’re not worth taking a bullet for.
-In the Line of Fire
The action hero faced with taking a bullet will have only a moment to react, and in that moment you must be prepared to give up your life. Remember, the assailant in the situation always has the upper hand-he knows what he’s about to do. You do not. And so, you must be prepared. You must be resolute and focused. And you must protect yourself with body armor whenever possible-at the very least, with a bulletproof vest or a bible over your heart. Try to keep your head low, and use these steps, compliments of security specialist Shawn Engbrecht, to stay alert and alive.
Step 1: Stay as close as possible to the person you are protecting.
If you are working alone, stay just in front of and to one side of your defendee. If you are working with several other guards, surround the defendee’s back and sides in addition to covering the front.
Step 2: Keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary.
If you are in a crowd of 30 people and 29 of them are smiling and cheering, keep your eyes on the one who is not smiling and cheering and is wearing the “People Suck” T-shirt.
Step 3: Watch the hands.
When an assailant pulls a gun, his hands make the first move.
Step 4: Position yourself between whomever you are protecting and the weapon.
Stand face front with respect to the shooter, with your arms extended out to your sides to make the shooter’s target more difficult to hit. If you have time, push your defendee to the ground before assuming this position.
Step 5: Attempt to place your chest in the line of fire (remember, you’ll be wearing a bulletproof vest).
If the shooter is using a rifle from a distance, you probably won’t see him coming-or be able to stop the bullet. Your body armor will protect your chest from a relatively close-range bullet. Estimate the target line of the bullet by watching the barrel of the gun.
Step 6: If you cannot put your chest in the line of fire, put your arm, leg, or shoulder in the line of fire.
Reach toward the target line with an arm, step toward the target line with a leg, or turn into the target line with a shoulder.
Step 7: Take the hit.
Most body armor will resist a handgun bullet shot at close range. However, the force from the weapon may knock you back, so stand your ground. If you have time, set your weight onto your back foot and step forward into the bullet with your opposite foot.
