Stu Dunn of The Team Realty found his Wing Chun kung fu training invaluable when he disarmed a man armed with a knife after finishing an open home in Levin on Sunday.
Stu Dunn, a Kāpiti-based agent with two decades of experience in Wing Chun kung fu, was packing up his open home signs when a driver stopped to warn him about an incident nearby involving a knife. With a child in the car, the driver couldn’t intervene, but Dunn’s conscience wouldn’t let him ignore the situation.
“I’m an avid believer that the bystander effect is too common, people see something and don’t act,” he said. “My conscience wouldn’t let me walk away.”
On Kings Drive, Dunn found a young man blocking a woman from leaving a property, clutching a knife behind his back. The man appeared to have blood on his hand. As Dunn called out, the woman pushed the man, giving Dunn a split second to act. His kung fu instincts took over, he shoved the man, grabbed the knife, and found himself “weirdly calm,” entering what he described as Mushin, a Zen “state of no mind.”
A behavioural science graduate and author, Dunn said his training helped him assess the situation instantly. “I felt like I had plans A through D mapped out,” he said.
After disarming the man, Dunn handed the knife to the driver and later called police. Officers confirmed no serious injuries occurred and advised the public to call 111 rather than intervene in dangerous situations.
Dunn said he doesn’t see himself as a hero, but hopes others will take action when needed, ideally by calling police first. “Martial arts helps you defend yourself and your loved ones. The worst feeling is helplessness,” he said.