Attack Mode

The 6-Step Process of Attacks

Why do they attack? There are many, many, reasons why a predator seeks out victims and attacks them, and there are a zillion ways and methods they use to go about executing their plots and plans. This article is very short and not designed to be a comprehensive and detailed breakdown of the psychology of predators. More, just a quick outline of the process, progression, or working modus operandi of an attack discussed in a simple, easy to understand, and learn format, so we can get a better idea of how bad guys go about trying to get us… step by step. These are the 6-Stages of how an attack unfolds… using the word A.T.T.A.C.K as an acronym.  As you can probably guess from my articles, I’m a big fan of acrostics, since they make concepts easier to learn and remember.  And If I can make things simple then people can internalize them, repeat them, and then teach them to others, which is what we want to have happening. A – Angle/Aim:  The aggressor has an angle. What is their objective with you?  What do they want and what plans have they made to get it.  This means what are they planning to do, what tools are they going to use, etc. T – Track:  Now they go out and find a victim.  They begin to track potential victims until they find one that meets the criteria that best suits their Angle/Aim. T – Tag: Now they select and choose their prey.  That could be one or more individuals they’re tagging.  They make the decision on who, where, when, and the how of the attack. A – Assess:  Now that the victim is Tagged, they begin to assess the overall situation to make sure they can actually execute their game plan and not get caught.  Remember, usually the attacker wants to minimize their exposure and liability. C – Close:  Once they feel like the situation is right, they start to Close in for the attack.  How they do this of course depends on the Angle they’ve taken.  This could be running up behind you with or without a weapon, this could mean driving up next to you in a van, etc… This could also include using other individuals to help groom or distract their victim(s) as they flank or gain a more advantageous position.  Remember the Gas Station Game, where one bad guy distracts the victim my starting a conversation with them while the attacker sneaks into the back seat…  There are so many ways that an attacker(s) can Close on their prey. K – Kill:  They “Go For The Kill”.  This doesn’t mean that they are always going to Kill someone… it just means that they actually ATTACK and execute their EVIL plan. You’ve heard the phrase, “Think Like A Bad Guy”?  One of the ways that we teach our students to use this information and the 6-Stages of an Attack is to look at each of the stages and then when you are out and about during your day, think about each of these stages and ask yourself, “If there was a bad guy where I am… how would my current situation apply to these 6 Stages?” Case in Point:  When going to your vehicle from the grocery store, how could things go sideways for you if a bad guy had you in his sights based on this acronym A.T.T.A.C.K? It’s a fun game to play and it really gets your mind thinking critically about everything.  In the end, implementing this type of concept and thought process, will help keep you safer and from potentially being attacked.