4 ms·

I'm curious why this third kid would escalate the crime from mugging to assault with a deadly weapon and possibly murder. It sounds pretty irrational.

• anigbrowl 16y ago
  a) Territorial protection. Gang members (as in an actual criminal organization) want a monopoly on illegal economic activity in an area. Thugs don't anticipate making a lot of money but can get social status via fear - the ability to act with impunity if they have limited imagination, the ability to collect rents in the form of protection money if they have more. b) It gives him a hold over the other two. If you're unfortunate enough to be attacked by a group, you'll often find that the physically smallest person calls the shots. They may look like a beta (waiting until the bigger guys have had their fun) but this is misleading. In a situation like this your aim is to isolate this person from his muscle - easier said than done, of course. c) If they're professionals rather than doing it for kicks, dead men tell no tales. Forensic science helps, but only up to a point. A rainy night in a back alley won't leave much evidence, unless the criminal is foolish enough to retain a weapon or cell phone.
• lhorie 16y ago
  The whole thing hinges on the premise of not getting caught in the first place, so they'll do whatever increases their chances. If it involves killing someone who reacted to the assault, so be it, they think.