The UK is considered one of the safest countries in the world when it comes to gun-related crime. Unfortunately, despite our seemingly tight gun laws and regulations, crimes in which guns are used are becoming more common.

Should we be worried about guns?

A crime survey by the Office for National Statistics released in September 2024 suggests a reduction in offences involving firearms and that replica and BB guns are the weapons most used. Yet still we hear of awful incidents happening – the recent trial and conviction of Nicholas Prosper, who was able to easily obtain a shotgun after faking a gun licence, has highlighted weakness in our gun laws.

Why so many shootings?

The motives behind shootings can often be linked to declining mental health or personal issues in the perpetrators’ lives. More recently, some incidents have been connected to online movements and social media.

Efforts are being made to counter gun crime, including information sharing between police forces and more robust background checks on applicants for firearms licences, but the dark web has given rise to a market for guns that can be acquired illegally. Which means all kinds of firearms can find their way into the wrong hands. And that is evident in drive-by shootings or fights that escalate in public places – incidents in which innocent people going about their daily lives can be killed or injured.

Laura, the owner of Krav Generation, knows all too well how it feels to be caught up in a dangerous situation involving a gun. At the time, she had little knowledge of de-escalation techniques but the little bit of knowledge she had gained from self-defence training gave her the confidence to tackle and subdue the gunman.

What would you do if someone was pointing a gun?

This is exactly why we include scenarios involving guns at Krav Generation. It may seem silly, it may seem ridiculous to even contemplate the possibility of coming face to face with someone pointing a gun, but it happens – it happens to normal people, people who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. And we want to give our students a fighting chance if, God forbid, they are ever caught up in a violent or life-threatening situation. So, we teach how to deal with weapons and how to disarm an attacker. We teach real defences for real situations – always with the hope that those skills will never actually be needed.

Inspired to find out how you can learn the skills and techniques to protect yourself and your loved ones? Get in touch and join us for a free trial session