Silent Killing

---

It is a common myth that cutting somebody's throat with a knife is a stealthy alternative to using unsilenced firearms. The opponent is more likely to gurgle and thrash around for a short period of time until the brain's oxygen supply runs out, usually creating noise in the process. A better alternative is to aim the knife upwards at the indent at the base of the skull (where the bone is thin) at an angle of forty-five degrees and to thrust it towards the brain, scrambling the medulla oblongata, cutting off motor control immediately. This is, of course, far more easily described than accomplished and is orders of magnitude more difficult should the target be wearing a helmet. Further, failure to penetrate the skull will result in little more than a superficial wound as the point of the blade skates across the surface of the skull.

Another less-common silent kill technique is to use the knife to slice the carotid artery while crushing the larynx (colloquially known as the voicebox). The carotid artery delivers blood to the brain, and the opponent will have a little time to retaliate before going unconscious due to the lack of oxygen in their brain. The crushing of the larynx further prevents the opponent from breathing, as well as being quite uncomfortable and preventing the opponent from speaking. The main downfall of this technique is that it takes coordination and the right opportunity (no allies of the target suddenly arriving, no light sources accidentally illuminating the area during the kill, etc.). The main advantages are its speed and reliability.

Though very little is known about this technique, it is possible to slip the knife into the opponent's kidney. Very little information is given but some first-hand accounts state that the trauma and shock received by a stab wound to the kidney may result in instantaneous unconciousness and/or death.

Regardless of which technique is used, a mess is unavoidable and may even hinder the killer's objectives by leaving blood on nearby surfaces (possibly alerting allies of the target who come by later) or by splattering the killer's clothes and thereby leaving incriminating evidence that must be disposed of.

Appearances In Popular Culture

---

In one epsiode of the television show "24", Terrorists overtake a submarine with several large missiles on it. Jack Bauer directs the only living person on board, a navy officer, to kill the guard the main entrance so they can board. He tells the officer to creep up behind the enemy slowly, cover his mouth, pull his head back and slit his throat deep, thus crushing the larynx in the proccess (Method 2).

Knives | Blade weapons