As noted, the crime itself is a rare one. But it's also worth noting that similar patterns have been seen in years past. I can remember hearing of crimes like this happening to cab drivers in Houston years before CHL.AG-EE wrote:just to play devil's advocate...I wonder if this is possibly an unintended consequence of concealed carry...they don't know who is armed and can fight back, so they shoot first.
As KBCraig pointed out, this would be a difficult attack to defend against. Situational awareness is certainly a key in potentially preventing the attack. But you aren't always going to see it coming. No one is perfect.
So when, not if, when you get surprised, fight through. Don't stand there in disbelief, do something. For starters, get off the 'X' by moving and moving as quickly as possible. Have the mind set that you will fight and you will win. It's certainly possible someone will prove your wrong but if you believe that all is lost, then all is most certainly lost.
We've got regular a customer at Top Gun who was ambushed in similar fashion to the man in the article. His only warning was hearing his attacker say something to him. When our customer turned around, all he saw was a muzzle flash as he was shot in the face. But, before this man of over seventy-years hit the ground, he drew and fired his own pistol. The fact that he was fighting back changed the whole game for the gangbangers attacking him. He didn't survive unscathed but he still won because he didn't curl into a ball and wait to die.