From Shopping Trip to Ambush: Victims Gunned Down in the Streets

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

A shopping trip to the mall is just another shopping trip....until it's not.  Everywhere we go, we carry with us the danger of being attacked. It can be hard to imagine, but yes, one moment you are happy, enjoying life and the next you are being attacked by someone or something. It can happen anywhere, anytime and to anyone.

Such was the case involving four young victims who were gunned down in an ambush-style attack after returning from a shopping tip.

The investigation is on-going and the details sparse, but here's what we know according to the reports:
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It all began as four young men were walking back to their neighborhood in Philadelphia, after returning from a shopping trip from a nearby mall. Surveillance video showed at least two suspects getting out of a parked minivan with guns drawn. The attackers advanced quickly and aggressively - opening upon the the victims.

According to reports, as many as 50 shots were fired at the scene. The attackers ran back to their vehicle and ran over some of the victims as they fled made their getaway. Investigators say that two victims, aged 18 and 19-years-old, died at the scene.

The attack has all the hallmarks of an ambush: concealment, surprise, lack of provocation, and violence of action. I've talked about this extensively at our training events and on the Pearl Snap Tactical Podcast.
The motive for the attack is unknown at this time, but drugs are suspected. Regardless of the motive, there are some lessons we can all take away.

1. It happens fast. Ambushes are quick, brutal, and lethal. Even if you're paying attention to your surroundings, they can be difficult to detect before it's too late. That's why they're so effective. With any ambush, the attacker chooses the location and the timing of the attack. This suddenness of the collapses your reactionary gap, putting you at a severe disadvantage because you're behind time. Let me explain what I mean by that.
There are three "timings" to any attack:

- Behind time,

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