View Full Version : Professional Hit? I
Before I go into this, Panama is a generally low crime country, and Panama City is like any major city, has bad areas and good, and violent crime rare in those good areas. I'd still rather walk through the bad areas of Panama City than LA, Detroit, or NYNY...Yesterday however, I saw what appeared to be a professional hit in my low crime area of the city*
I was on my balcony around 1pm and I heard tires lock up, quick pop, pop, pop, pop, and tires squeal. I know gun fire from fire works, etc, so I knew something not right. Sirens, all that follow shortly after. I go to store to get some food at the corner store, and I see the yellow tape, etc., and go investigate. The car is in the middle of the street, with 5 bullet holes in the drivers side of the windshield . A tight group of perhaps 5 inches give or take. It was no random spray and pray that's for sure. Target was DOA and didn't stand a chance. I surmise from what I heard, they stopped quickly in front of their intended target, shooter jumps out, goes up close and personal and put 5 through the windshield, and they take off. Very fast from start to finish. The grouping said it all to me: was not some random robbery or wild shoot out, etc, was highly targeted and done by someone calm with a gun and the split times I heard would be the envy of many in IDPA...
This was timed for the Carnival holiday so they knew the streets would be empty and they could make their escape quickly. I'm no expert on this topic, but likely drug related and a professional hit from what I heard and saw as the aftermath.
* = last shooting in this area was 3 years ago I was told where a store robbery went bad.
montanadave
03-02-14, 12:47
Before I go into this, Panama is a generally low crime country, and Panama City is like any major city, has bad areas and good, and violent crime rare in those good areas. I'd still rather walk through the bad areas of Panama City than LA, Detroit, or NYNY.
Which reminds me of a joke:
A talent scout from the Detroit Pistons went to Iraq to possibly recruit a potential player. The scout watched the kid play one game and decide to sign him to a contract.
They immediately brought him back to America to play for the Pistons. He spent most of his first game on the bench but in the final quarter they were behind by fifty points and going nowhere. The coach believing the game was beyond them decided to put in his new recruit. The Iraqi boy entered the game, single handedly scored fifty one solo points straight and won the game.
He became an instant Basketball super star. The players loved him, the fans loved him and the media loved him. In the change room he was so excited about his first game he decided to call his family and tell them about it. As soon as his mom answered, he began telling her all about the game, his success and his new found fame. After he was done his mother was oddly silent.
He asked her "is everything okay?"
His mother replied "No, let me tell you how our day as been. Your father was shot to death on the street, your brother has joined a gang of violent criminals and your sister was kidnapped and repeatedly gang raped for hours."
Shocked and saddened the Iraqi boy couldn't think of anything to say, eventually he just said "I'm sorry."
His mother replied, "You're sorry! Is that all you can say? This is all your fault, you're the reason we moved to Detroit in the first place."
P.S. Glad you're OK and weren't on your way to the store when things got fugly.
Which reminds me of a joke:
A talent scout from the Detroit Pistons went to Iraq to possibly recruit a potential player. The scout watched the kid play one game and decide to sign him to a contract.
They immediately brought him back to America to play for the Pistons. He spent most of his first game on the bench but in the final quarter they were behind by fifty points and going nowhere. The coach believing the game was beyond them decided to put in his new recruit. The Iraqi boy entered the game, single handedly scored fifty one solo points straight and won the game.
He became an instant Basketball super star. The players loved him, the fans loved him and the media loved him. In the change room he was so excited about his first game he decided to call his family and tell them about it. As soon as his mom answered, he began telling her all about the game, his success and his new found fame. After he was done his mother was oddly silent.
He asked her "is everything okay?"
His mother replied "No, let me tell you how our day as been. Your father was shot to death on the street, your brother has joined a gang of violent criminals and your sister was kidnapped and repeatedly gang raped for hours."
Shocked and saddened the Iraqi boy couldn't think of anything to say, eventually he just said "I'm sorry."
His mother replied, "You're sorry! Is that all you can say? This is all your fault, you're the reason we moved to Detroit in the first place."
P.S. Glad you're OK and weren't on your way to the store when things got fugly.
I have actually missed worse in the US by less time sadly. I lived in Newton MA which was listed as the safest city in the US at the time (late 90s) and is a very wealthy area. Violent crime is rare. Went to my local fish store, and missed by maybe 15-20 minutes someone showing up and shooting the owner 2 times who mistook him for someone else. Owner (ex marine and old school) wrestles guy to the floor, puts BGs gun under his chin, and blows his brains out. He gets up and stumbles out to the st, and faints. He lived, but had extensive med issues for a while. Newton was also a popular town for bank robberies, which I missed several by less than an hour. Also a lot of property crime mostly because the $$$ attracted the scumbags from surrounding towns who knew the houses were full of expensive stuff and most in Newton thought it was closer to Mayberry than a major metro area outside Boston. My land lady for example didn't lock her front door...
When I got my CCW around that time, people thought I was nuts. It was "the safest city in the US" after all!
Eurodriver
03-02-14, 15:05
2 things:
1) Pics of Panamanian chicks ASAP.
2)
Before I go into this, Panama is a generally low crime country, and Panama City is like any major city,
The car is in the middle of the street, with 5 bullet holes in the drivers side of the windshield .
The only Panama City I've been to was full of drunk chicks in March...but... I've seen too many drug cartel documentaries to believe any Central American city is "safe". (Although I'm certain you are 100% on the money about Panama City being safer than LA, Detroit etc)
So do you live in panama full time now?
2 things:
1) Pics of Panamanian chicks ASAP.
Training my friend Ari:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clGguLsfePk
2)
The only Panama City I've been to was full of drunk chicks in March...but... I've seen too many drug cartel documentaries to believe any Central American city is "safe". (Although I'm certain you are 100% on the money about Panama City being safer than LA, Detroit etc)
"Safe" is of course a relative term. As "safe" or safer than any major US city, probably safer.
So do you live in panama full time now?
Approx 50/50 time split currently.
I surmise from what I heard...
So is this essentially your alibi?
:sarcastic:
When my wife and I went to Panama last year (my first time back since Dec. '86) I was surprised at the build-up of Panama city and it's skyline. I've been told that many of those high-rise condos are empty (hell, they command U.S. prices) and there's a lot of drug $$$ invested in them. Even back in the 80's Panama was a drug "HQ" and laundered money for cartels, mostly Colombian at that time. Noriega anyone? No telling whose hand is in the till nowadays.
Yeah, I'd wager a drug-related hit.
BTW Will, I met a SgtMaj here in the U.S. a few years back who was retiring to Panama. He said he'd been there to check it out (his wife was Panamanian) and that if you "knew" the right people that you could get the necessary permission to purchase firearms. True? What would it take for you to be able to 1) buy and then 2) CCW a weapon there?
http://www.retireworldwide.com/retirement-communities/panama/panama-city/is-it-safe-to-live-there-crime-in-panama-city/
Professional Hit, Probably. The shooter was very good with the weapon at hand.
I wonder, what the handgun of choice in Panama is, Glock, Taurus, Beretta, CZ, Tangfolio??
http://www.retireworldwide.com/retirement-communities/panama/panama-city/is-it-safe-to-live-there-crime-in-panama-city/
Professional Hit, Probably. The shooter was very good with the weapon at hand.
I wonder, what the handgun of choice in Panama is, Glock, Taurus, Beretta, CZ, Tangfolio??
The PDF (or whatever they're called now) carry Glock 17's......at least the one I was talking to did.
http://www.retireworldwide.com/retirement-communities/panama/panama-city/is-it-safe-to-live-there-crime-in-panama-city/
Professional Hit, Probably. The shooter was very good with the weapon at hand.
I wonder, what the handgun of choice in Panama is, Glock, Taurus, Beretta, CZ, Tangfolio??
With LEO, bank guards, etc I have seen a mish mash of brands and you'll see some seriously old revolvers in very poor condition making my think they have a 50/50 of actually working. The LEO here have been getting new gear, cars, guns, etc and are getting Glocks, appear to be 17s. Similar to any place, BGs tend to use what ever they can get I suspect.
When my wife and I went to Panama last year (my first time back since Dec. '86) I was surprised at the build-up of Panama city and it's skyline. I've been told that many of those high-rise condos are empty (hell, they command U.S. prices) and there's a lot of drug $$$ invested in them. Even back in the 80's Panama was a drug "HQ" and laundered money for cartels, mostly Colombian at that time. Noriega anyone? No telling whose hand is in the till nowadays.
Yeah, I'd wager a drug-related hit.
BTW Will, I met a SgtMaj here in the U.S. a few years back who was retiring to Panama. He said he'd been there to check it out (his wife was Panamanian) and that if you "knew" the right people that you could get the necessary permission to purchase firearms. True? What would it take for you to be able to 1) buy and then 2) CCW a weapon there?
CCWs are not terribly difficult to get in Panama and it's not an overtly anti gun country as some in the region are. Like anything they do, it takes time, paper work, and BS hoops, but can be done and I know some with CCWs. If you are connected, I suspect the process is faster and more streamlined, but again, par for the course everywhere gun laws exist and humans in the loop.
The selection of what you can have is limited to non "military" style guns, so no ARs in civilian hands, but hand guns, shot guns and such can be had. Prices tend to be very high, and brand selection limited. People can import their guns from the US, but that too costs a ton (they put some thing like 50% value of the MSRP of the gun tax on it) and stacks of paper work to generally discourage that. Strange fact: most of the ARs you see LEO carry are 9mm conversions. Exactly why, I'm not clear. I have yet to see a 5.56 AR on an LEO, but I know they have them. Might be only for their version of SWAT, and or those doing more military like work such as border work and such.
Per usual, as at works everywhere, including the land of the free, if you have the $$$ and connections, it's going to be far easier and faster. Hence, why all gun laws are by their nature and intent, elitist and racist.
24139
Update, here's a pic I had on my phone I thought I had lost:
montanadave
03-04-14, 19:29
24139
Update, here's a pic I had on my phone I thought I had lost:
Based on having watched a number of CSI and NCIS reruns, coupled with a keen sense of the obvious, it appears the shooter was targeting the driver of the vehicle.
Based on having watched a number of CSI and NCIS reruns, coupled with a keen sense of the obvious, it appears the shooter was targeting the driver of the vehicle.
I think the CSI team would agree!
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