AKRON, Ohio — Using a variety of techniques, including body strikes, Debra Gynn demonstrated various methods to escape an attacker.
In this case, her assailant was actually her self-defense instructor, Al Petrosino, who pretended to choke Gynn and used fake weapons in some of the scenarios.
Gynn repeatedly took Petrosino down to the ground and then yelled, "Leave me alone!"
Gynn, a 50-year-old teacher in the Akron Public Schools District, has been taking classes for a few years at Petrosino Personal Protection Training Center in Akron's North Hill neighborhood.
Recently, she has been writing letters to media outlets urging safety and community awareness following recent attacks on women.
"I need help getting the word out to the community," Gynn said.
Petrosino, who has been teaching self-defense for about 35 years, teaches what he calls the "Street Protect Principle."
"We're not here at the school trying to have somebody be a RoboCop. This is about feeling confident, feeling aware, feeling that they're able to do something for themselves," Petrosino said.
Gynn and Petrosino pointed to a number of recent Northeast Ohio high-profile crimes as they discussed the ongoing need for situational awareness.
In June, 3-year-old Julian Wood was stabbed to death and his mother was injured during a random attack outside of a Giant Eagle in North Olmsted. Bionca Ellis is facing charges in the case.
A few weeks later, a woman running on the Towpath Trail in Akron was strangled by a stranger. She survived. Akron detectives are still working to identify a suspect.
Last Sunday, Paige Calich, a 24-year-old mother of two children, was shot and killed at her home in the Summit Lake neighborhood. Two people have been charged in that murder.
In some instances, there is little a victim can do to react if they are targeted.
However, Gynn said there is something she wants to stress if someone is facing an attacker.
"You are your own first responder. Your response happens in a matter of seconds. When an attack happens, your response has to happen within a very, very, very minute window of time," Gynn said.
Petrosino teaches his students what he calls a "stun and run" technique.
"In other words, be able to protect themselves and get out of there. In other words, they do a technique and get out," he said.
With that said, Petrosino stressed there are certain instances where fighting back shouldn't always be the first option.
He said complying — to prevent being hurt or killed — may be the best course of action in some situations involving weapons.
"Do I comply because I have to give them something? You may be at a gas station. They want money, or whatever, you comply with them," Petrosino said.
Both the instructor and the student emphasized a point that police often say to avoid potentially becoming a victim: Be aware of your surroundings.
"We can't be the best version of ourselves without being safe and secure," Gynn said.
