Farago already posted the news that unhinged, 34 year-old Layla Trawick attacked other Target shoppers with a butcher knife and a steak knife. Fortunately, Clay Grant, Jr., an off-duty L.A. County sheriff’s deputy happened to be there, too, and based on this LA Times reporting deserves mention here.
Grant, 26, drew his Beretta service weapon and identified himself to the woman as a sheriff’s deputy. He demanded she drop the knives. The woman, he said, ran down the aisle, turned and dashed past four other aisles.
“Drop your knife” he ordered again.
She turned, her expression blank and confused, clutching the knives. He said he recalled his training, decided that from her distance of about 20 feet she was no danger to him, and chose not to pull the trigger.
The woman saw his gun and dropped both knives on the floor.
Grant and Target security officials restrained the woman, then handcuffed her.
Hours later, after recounting the incident to his worried mother, Grant said he didn’t feel like a hero.
“I just come here to do my duties,” the soft-spoken deputy said.
I wonder how many of us, in that situation, would have shown that restraint?
