exclusive: Former CIA officer Jason Hanson runs self-defense training courses that are “needed now more than ever” in a society where people have turned inward.
FOX News Digital interviewed Hanson last week to get his reaction to the recent headline-grabbing confrontation between former “Beverly Hills 90210” star Ian Ziering and a Hollywood mini-biker. Online video of the incident shows Ziering getting out of his car as the bikers begin to surround him and pushing one of the bikers before the biker throws a punch. He then ran away from them and returned to his car.
Hanson praised Ziering for running away when the attackers started getting aggressive, but suggested the safest thing to do in that situation was to stay in the car.
Former CIA official Ian Ziering says he was largely 'vindicated' in Hollywood attack, but also offers advice
Actor Ian Ziering was recently involved in a scuffle with a mini biker on Hollywood Boulevard. (Getty Images)
He also said the Hollywood incident shows how violent the culture has become. He attributed it to the lack of proper punishment.
“We're becoming more violent because there's no reward for doing bad things,” Hanson told Fox News Digital.
“Of course, you often hear stories about someone going into a store and robbing or looting and then getting a slap on the wrist or not being prosecuted. So what do you expect? “If you're not punishing people? Obviously, they're going to be bolder. I have seven children, but I didn't have any until I left the CIA. When I'm disciplining my children, if I'm not disciplining them, “When they do something wrong, I give them time-outs and grounding, but of course that doesn't stop the behavior.'' That's why there has to be a punishment for that,” Hanson said.
“It's a soft-on-crime cliché, but it's true,” he continued. “I mean, what do you think will happen if we don't punish people? They'll continue to commit acts like robbery and looting.”
Essential self-defense techniques anyone can learn
Former CIA officer Jason Hanson said Ian Ziering was “right” to run away from his attacker. (Fox News Digital)
Mr. Hanson currently runs Spy Escape & Evasion, which provides life-saving strategies and techniques to civilians, and is run by Mr. Hanson and other former CIA and special operations personnel.
“This training is 100% needed now more than ever,” Hanson said. “That's why I'm so happy to be so busy.”
Some observers of Ziering's viral video noted that no spectators intervened to help him. Mr Hanson suggested he was not surprised and that is part of the reason he is adamant that people need to be able to protect themselves.
“Yes, you should, because you need to help people, but people aren't going to do it,” Hanson said before offering up an unpleasant anecdote.
“I once trained a woman,” he said. “It's a young woman. She had a traumatic brain injury, so her husband was concerned about her and brought her to my self-defense training so she could protect herself. I spoke to her probably six months after she had been trained by me. Two men tried to kidnap her at a gas station in Sarasota, Florida. She fought them off. I was able to escape, and she said to me, “Jason, remember what you said in training, I can only rely on myself.'' No one is coming to help me. ?I couldn't believe it, but I kept screaming at the top of my lungs at the gas station.? There were other people around, but no one came to help me. And thankfully, I was able to fight them off and escape. '”
Unfortunately, Hanson thought, “Good Samaritans are becoming too rare these days.” Although the former CIA official believes that the majority of people genuinely want to do good, audiences seem more inclined to film the assault than intervene and help.
“So we'd like to think there's going to be a Good Samaritan, but these days most people are like, 'No, I'm just going to go shoot a movie. I don't want to be bothered. I don't want to be bothered.' I don't want to interfere in someone else's work.'' That's why it's so important to be able to do your own thing. Unfortunately, other people aren't coming to help,” Hanson said.
“I believe that the vast majority of people in this world are good people and want to help others,” Hanson continued. “But fewer people are willing to step in and help others for several reasons: First, people are afraid. They see how violent the world has become. They don't want to get involved because they're afraid some crazy person might overwhelm them and hurt them. is.”
'Beverly Hills, 90210' star Ian Ziering calls for action from law enforcement after biker attack
Former CIA officer Jason Hanson runs a spy escape and evasion center. (Photo by Jason Hanson)
He came up with a few more reasons why people are more likely to stand by in the midst of danger. It is the looming threat of litigation and the tendency towards self-preservation.
“You and I both know we live in a litigious society,” Hanson said. “So they're afraid they'll get sued if they get involved, and they don't want to have to deal with that. Third, the world we live in is becoming more and more selfish. It’s becoming a target.”
If someone feels like being brave, Hanson says there are some important steps they should follow to avoid making the situation worse or putting themselves at risk in the process.
“If you witness an attack, the sooner you intervene, the better, because you can clearly prevent further harm or injury to the person being attacked,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Mr. Hanson won a contract on ABC's “Shark Tank” self-defense training course in 2014 before writing the New York Times bestseller “Spy Secrets That Will Save Your Life.” He then opened Spy Ranch, a 320-acre facility in Cedar City, Utah, that teaches evasive driving, pistol and rifle shooting, intelligence operations, cybersecurity and more.
