The attached film clip below shows in graphic detail a targeted hit outside a restaurant in Cidra, Puerto Rico ending with five deaths. These gang bangers are evil, cold and cruel, they kill from a sick addiction. These murderers are a tool of evil. They kill to protect their drug distribution turf and to defend their gang's honor.

As the sun sets welcoming the untamed night that follows the Street Fighter must be extra vigilant. Before entering the bodega's parking lot first pause looking for any abnormalities. If the streetlights are inoperative, the area poorly lit and smeared with graffiti or your suspicions are aroused by the rundown neighborhood drive away. If you are overcome by a nicotine fit and throw caution to the wind, deciding to go into the bodega to buy a pack of Lucky Strikes and get swept up into gang violence like in the attached film clip you have a few tactical options.

Stay inside, bury your ass behind the best available cover/concealment and patiently wait for the gang bangers to come single file through the door. If you decide not to go deep into the bodega's interior, you have the option to ensconce yourself in a low ready position at one of the two corners along the same wall as the entrance.

If you are caught in the bodega's parking lot heavily weigh the pros and cons, then as we said in Vietnam, "chay tron", meaning run away. Always keep a sharp eye out for an escape route, If you can move quickly from a well-lit area to a darkened area do so. You can then float through space, phantomlike. Try to channel their attack and limit their firepower for fear of shooting each other.

If you haven't killed before, you may feel your pulse's drum beat throbbing behind your eyes as a bitter trickle of bile burns down your throat. Keep it all in check, acquire your front sight, piss ice water, put lead into meat, take them out.

Am important lesson learned. After the gang bangers smoked the dummies in the parking lot, they returned with a vengeance firing mucho rounds into wounded and dead bodies. Watch the dumpy inhumane psycho at the end of the rampage empty his AR on full auto then coolly transition to his pistol. When his pistol goes dry, he grabs the pistol from another evil hearted gang banger and pitilessly explodes the skull of one of their preys. From the look of their rap sheets the victims certainly were not naive, harmless Sunday schoolers out past family curfew.

Don't prematurely let your guard down standing with your thumb up your ass thinking you are a lucky s.o.b not to have been shot.

Same thought carries over to the LEO responding to a scene of a shooting. The killers may double back and whack you. Make sure you stay alert, constantly scan your 360 and wait for backup.

One night a reader of DEA Watch may have to arrest one of these raving lunatics. Not knowing their maniacal history, you had better be at the top of your game. Socrates said, "to thy own self be true." Have you prepared yourself to enter this cauldron of violence and come out physically and mentally unscarred?

Beware that danger does not just lurk in the sleazy side of town. The NYPD was recently in a gun battle with a high-end robbery ring. They targeted the rich and famous as they exited expensive restaurants relieving them of cash and jewelry. These vicious thieves called themselves "OED." which stands for "Own Every Dollar."

There is an important factor in overcoming doubt and fear. Accept I am going to be attacked sooner or later. War game various potential scenarios, set you tripwire, carry your blaster with an extra magazine, don't punk out, stay in the fight.

Semper Fi
Frank White