I've been on all sides of anger in my life. Anger is a strong emotion. Anger produces a lot of energy, and anger emanates from multiple scenarios and experiences in life.
With this in mind, I am thinking about the best ways to deal with an angry person. What should you do?
First, you have to assess the danger related to the anger. If you think a person is going to use their anger in a way that hurts another person, you have to get help right away. Let's face it, it would be better for an angry person to spend a night in jail than to do irreparable harm to another person. In fact, if you face an angry person who you think might harm another, you might even say, "You can never walk back hurting another person, how can I stop you from that harm to yourself and another." Those words alone, might help.
If the anger is in a place where you don't think the individual will harm another, but cannot listen, try to encourage them to take some time out in a safe place where they can calm down and think.
Then when the angry person is ready to talk, ask them if they can talk to you alone or if they would rather talk to you and/or others. It's good to talk the anger out. And when the angry person is talking, let them talk and get it out. After that, you might ask, what is it that you want, what will make it better?
Then through conversation and action, hopefully you can help the angry person to make the situation better through a change in actions, mindset and/or affiliations. Sometimes what might be needed is greater information or distance from a situation/person or advocacy or litigation.
The worst thing you can do for an angry person is to tell them that their anger is unjustified or that they should bury their anger. Anger must be dealt with using a serious, respectful attitude. Anger wakes us up to the need for change and betterment, and to sensitively, compassionately and intelligently heed anger's call is to move ahead in positive ways in life.