Lawrence woman turning attack into action

The tragic death of Mollie Tibbetts hits close to home for one Lawrence woman.

Carrie Musgridge was attacked while on a run through Prairie Park Nature Park in July.

"I think of my life as before July 12th and after July 12th,” Musgridge said.

The man grabbed her from behind and picked her up.

"We scuffled for a few minutes and I continued hitting him with my elbows,” said Musgridge. “Then, finally I escaped. I slipped through his grasp and then I sprinted away."

The mother of three credits her escape to self-defense tactics learned from her dad and brother, but realizes how lucky she is.

"The chances of another woman getting out of this situation were not good,” Musgridge said.

She contacted her son's taekwondo instructor and together they set up a free self-defense class.

"Sometimes bad things have to happen for people to say ‘I need to do this,’” Prime ATA owner, Jimmy Golden said.

40 women attended their first class last week, practicing when to hit and when to run.

"We do teach them how to go for the nose, go for the eye, go for the ears, where to strike if they're grabbing you this way, how to get out of it if they're grabbing you this way, if they grab you from the wrist, from behind,” Golden said.

But Golden says it's just as important to leave fear behind.

"I know the first thing that happens to women is they stop living their live because of something that happened,” said Golden. “They stop jogging, they stop going to the grocery store, the stop taking their kids to the park."

Carrie is making sure the only thing stopped - is an attacker.

"I want our town to be the town that these women are armed with self-defense and they are ready and bring it because we are safe and we are strong,” Musgridge said.