I agree that most of the time, we should be able to recognize trouble, and stay out of it. However, there are times when it is much more subtle, and there may not be signs of something going to happen. It may not be directed at you, either. You may just be viewed as a casualty of war, so to speak.

This kind of random thing does happen, with out apparent cause, from time to time. Yes, there was probilily a cause, but it might have had nothing to do with the original poster on this thread.

We often make the mistake of assigning people who do things like this our own value system or morality. It's just not the case. People like this (and by this i mean violent predatory types, not confined to any particular race, creed, gender, or other sub-group) are pretty far removed from the world you and I live in, expecting them to act like us, or respond to our sense of logic is not approprite.

I think you handled it well, if he's not going to press the issue, leaving the situation is best. I'm not going to try to solve his problems or rationalize his behavior. I would report the incidet to the local jurisdiction and have them canvas around to see if they happen to find him. With luck, he's wanted on warrants (not a bad guess) and can go to jail for a time out.

I also agree that assuming that all criminals are dumb is a bad idea. SOme are pretty bright, but let's face it, the stereotype exsists for a reason. What might be more dangerous is assuming that they don't train.

They do. Look at a prison yard and check out some of the specimens that it produces. Additionally, these people have been fighting since childhood in all likelyhood and their experiance is probibly much more unforgiving that ours. Violence is not something shoking to most of them, but part fo their life style. In it's own twisted way, it's pretty good training to prepar to hurt someone in a fight.