Lessons From NYC Actress' Death (Nicole duFresne shouldn't have taunted mugger...)

CBS News ^ | February 3, 2005 | Tom Hays

[Gondring]

They forgot the part about "without a gun" when they are talking about it being a bad idea to confront an attacker. I guess that's one lesson they didn't learn. They need to talk to Gary Kleck or look through the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports to see how to keep from being injured in a robbery attempt.

[BigSkyFreeper]

As cold and heartless as it sounds, she got what she asked for.

[mwyounce]

On Wednesday, the Washington-based National Crime Prevention Council responded to widespread reports about duFresne's last words by circulating a list of tips on how to survive a mugging.

1. Shoot the mugger.
2. Shoot the mugger again.

[durasell]

There is such a thing as a stupid question.

[LauraleeBraswell]

Also if there were stronger penalties, maybe the guy would have thought TWICE before pulling that trigger.

He'll be out in a few.

[LauraleeBraswell]

She didn't ask for it.

[Fiddlstix]

A big mouth is usually not a match for a gun.

[kcvl]

Common sense says you don't talk back to someone holding a gun which is pointing at you. You certainly don't ask them if they are going to shoot you!

[Cicero]

I agree. There are various ways of confronting an attacker. Daring him to shoot you is about the dumbest I can think of. But making him think you are completely helpless and will do anything he demands is not smart, either, as numerous cases have shown.

Unfortunately, it's easy to Monday morning quarterback about such things, but no one knows what they will do in that kind of situation until it actually happens. Some people will panic, some will freeze up, some will try to deal with it the best they can.

[silent_jonny]

maybe the guy would have thought TWICE before pulling that trigger.

Mmmm, I don't know. Seems like a guy that mugs you in the middle of the night isn't much of a thinker.

[ambrose]

This is a bunch of crap, IMHO. There have been countless incidents where the victim completely cooperates with the criminal, who then blows them away as they leave.

[BigSkyFreeper]

According to eyewitnesses she had said "Why don't you just use a gun?". Her attacker pulled out a gun and shot her.

[ambrose]

This is a bunch of crap, IMHO. There have been countless incidents where the victim completely cooperates with the criminal, who then blows them away as they leave.

[durasell]

Everything is playing the odds. Your odds are much better if you don't get into a debate with the mugger.

[LauraleeBraswell]

Harsher penalties are a Deterrent.

Think about Drunk Driving. Increase the penalty, death goes down.

[stan the beaver]

Right. I mean, taunting and daring a thug with a gun to shoot her. She got what was coming to her. Sounds a little harsh, but hey, stupid is as stupid does.

[ambrose]

I would grab the arm holding the gun, break his arm in half from the elbow, heat butt the perp, flip him around and then snap his neck.

Hey, if it works for Ahnold...

[beaversmom]

If you are going to talk tough, you better have the means to back it up. She lived in a fantasy world, and probably thought she could write (talk) herself out of the situation as if it were a script.

[durasell]

Sadly, that's probably true.

[Dan from Michigan]

From my gun safety training, I've learned not to point a gun at anything I'm not willing to destroy.

That means, if it's pointed at me, someone is going to destroy me. I'm going to keep my trap shut and look for a chance to shoot, run, floor it, or fight, depending on the situation.

People kill people. It's the shooter's fault. She didn't deserve this at all, but unfortunatly, she didn't have street smarts and made herself an easy target.