Which technique is used when the subject has made a one-handed direct-grab on the officer's handgun from behind in an attempt to take it away?

• A. The triangular Frame Retention and Rear Elbow Strike
• B. The triangular Frame Retention and Side Elbow Strike
• C. The 2-on-1 Takedown from Kneeling Handcuffing
• D. Fore knuckle, Thumb Tip, Finger Tip

Answer: (B)

Weapon retention under a one-handed grab from behind requires establishing a secure frame around the firearm and delivering a quick, targeted strike to break the attacker’s grip. The triangular Frame Retention part creates a strong, rigid channel that covers the weapon and your forearm, forming a stable harness around the gun. This positioning keeps the weapon oriented toward you, limits the attacker’s ability to lever it away, and protects your grip as the threat presses from behind.

From that secure frame, a side elbow strike disrupts the attacker’s hold without letting the grip on the gun lock you into a vulnerable position. The side elbow can reach the attacker’s torso or shoulder quickly in close quarters, creating immediate space and breaking their grip long enough for you to resecure the handgun or reposition to safety. Using the elbow in this context leverages your body’s natural mechanics for a compact, powerful disruption while maintaining control of the weapon.

Other sequences in the options focus on different scenarios or moves that don’t directly address the immediate need to preserve weapon control and create disengagement when grabbed from behind, so this combination is the most effective response to that specific threat.