Urban Survival - Counter Surveillance and Situational Awareness

I was sent the below video seemingly because it supports the Right to Keep and Bear Arms with a Concealed Weapons Permit holder fighting back against an attempted murder/robbery. So watch the video and see what you think.

Robbery Attempt ends in shootout

What I see, hear and feel is several things unrelated to the 2nd Amendment.

1 - The citizen who fought back with his own handgun, just got plain lucky. To draw after being shot, let along drawing against a drawn gun is much more often than not a losing proposition. Sure, nothing else the citizen could have did at that point, but plenty he could have did prior to the confrontation.

2 - Developing situational awareness to "read" your environment in order to determine what is out of place and what may be "too" in place. What and who is trying hard to seem "in-place" and not arouse your suspicion? If you were in the service you have certainly been asked by a Drill Sergeant "Hey Boy, you looking for your discharge?" as a reminder to keep your head up and eyes forward. Same thing here,...don't go through life looking on the ground or fixated on where you are going. Cultivate the ability to observe all around you. Use peripheral vision and the mirrors on your vehicle. Don't just consider what is close by, say within 50 yards,.....observe and identify possible threats past your immediate area - this is called your area of influence or an area where things can occur in that can influence events in your immediate area. We have previously talked about this as the OODA Loop. In short a continuous process of Observing, Orientating (on possible threats), Deciding and Acting. Apply this now; get good at it; and it will become second nature.

3 - Know the common and routine vehicles in your area. Do the drivers match up to the vehicles they drive. Three scruffy young men in vehicle that make too much eye contact with you, or avoid making any eye contact at all should elevate your spidy sense.

4 - A cursory scan of concealed places around where you park and along your route to your front door is, necessarily, in order. Very common tactic is to wait in shadows and attack the target (meaning you) while you are in the light and especially when artificial light blinds you to the attack.

5 – Be aware of people reconnoitering your home or survival site as they are looking to complete a target package. Seemingly harmless interactions such as sales calls, religious people giving away written material, or people asking for directions can get someone legitimately close enough to gather details such as types of door and window locks; presence of dogs; you general security level; look at the interior of your house for valuables or a visual of your floor plan.

6 – Another recon technique is to do a slow roll by in a vehicle and use a video camera to film for later study. I have used video glasses for walk up visual recons on structures, so I’m sure the bad guys can too.

7 – Develop a duress code with your family or survival group members so as a routine measure or if you are suspicious of someone being in your home you can call and your family members can use a benign, innocent one word code word built into a sentence to cue you that they are under duress. Duress simply means someone has a gun on them. This is one way you have a chance at avoiding walking into a home invasion in progress.