Hah, the Russians are so messed up. Anyway, I am no expert, but they did say the bad guy was killed by a sniper shot to the head. Can't you put on an IR scope and look for the guy holding an M16 and then blow his head off before you even consider storming the bus?
When people travel to 3rd world country they shouldnt expect anything more than 3rd world response to these events. The police killed a kid with a sledgehammer when they were trying to bust through a window - not the smartest tools in the shed.
You cant even mail a package there without bribing someone at the post office.
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Hah, the Russians are so messed up. Anyway, I am no expert, but they did say the bad guy was killed by a sniper shot to the head. Can't you put on an IR scope and look for the guy holding an M16 and then blow his head off before you even consider storming the bus?
Look at the people on the bus, he had them standing against the windows. They probably didn't get a shot til he started shooting and people started falling.
I was reading a book a while ago on the FBI HRT and airplanes and buses are considered the worst environments for hostage rescues because of the lack of space and the inability to protect the hostages.
I guess if you could get the doors open you could toss a couple of flash bangs in, but the problem is that the hostage taker is going to pull the trigger when he's stunned and in a close in area he's going to hit someone.
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Hah, the Russians are so messed up. Anyway, I am no expert, but they did say the bad guy was killed by a sniper shot to the head. Can't you put on an IR scope and look for the guy holding an M16 and then blow his head off before you even consider storming the bus?
It can be risky. The bus window glass is thick enough that any shot that hits it off perpendicular will deflect and miss the target if he isn't right next to the glass. Then he freaks out and starts killing. Obviously, in this case that was the result anyway, but a missed shot will almost guarantee it.
That said, the photo of the guy that was posted in this thread... easy shot.
True, but at any significant distance, there's no double-tapping with a rifle if you actually want to hit something with the second shot. That's a close-range activity for pistols and carbines.
Storming or using a sniper assisted take down is a last resort thing unless there is an imminent threat to the hostages. That picture was probably taken after he released the first group of hostages. The decision to assault is up to the incident commander and they probably thought at the time that they would have a good chance to talk him out. This isn't the movies, any assault is a big risk. If anything i think it was a failure to negotiate properly and the gunman forced the police to act.
IR scopes don't work as well when it is 40 degrees outside and you are looking through a metal bus and insulated windows. Also, most SWAT teams require a visual identification before they can shoot. An IR image through a scope doesn't count as a positive identification even if the sniper is reasonably sure he's targeting a bad guy and not a hostage.
No flash bangs, too confined and risk of injury to the hostages.
Any average SWAT team from any 1st world country could have done an good job in the Philipinnes, but like Mikey said its a 3rd world country their standards are low.
Which makes me wonder why we haven't done what Tom Clancy made a book and video games about, a multinational team of special ops ready to go anywhere in the world in 12hrs.
But anyhow since we have seen fail on a massive scale, why not enjoy a great documentary on the SAS, my favorite group of crazy good special forces.
This is how China deals with hostage situations. Chinese supercop woman to the rescue!
Warning! Graphic!
Awesome. Not only did she shoot the crook in the face, she shot him 3 more times while he laid there to make sure he was dead. Those Chinese cops sure don't fata around.
