It's not necessarily clear that the victim was in Condition White.
Remember that the
Color Code, as taught by Jeff Cooper, describes levels of preparedness and mindset. Specifically, Condition Yellow is described as:
Quote:
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...Relaxed alertness. No specific threat situation. Your mindset is that "today could be the day I may have to defend myself." There is no specific threat but you are aware that the world is an unfriendly place and that you are prepared to do something if necessary....
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The next step, Orange, is described as:
Quote:
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...Specific alert. Something not quite right has gotten your attention and you shift your primary focus to that thing. Something is "wrong" with a person or object. Something may happen. Your mindset is that "I may have to shoot that person."...
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And then one might go to Red, described as:
Quote:
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...Fight trigger. This is your mental trigger. "If that person does "x" I will shoot them."...
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Here, it doesn't look like the victim had a gun, but it does seem that he made the transition from Yellow, at the ATM, to Orange, as the mugger ran up to him. He appeared to recognize a particular problem he might have to deal with. And apparently, he did prepare himself to deal with it and went to Condition Red, setting a trigger that would result in him taking definitive action, because as soon as the mugger gave him an opening, the victim counterattacked.
Note also that the victim, just before he jumped the mugger, appeared to be turned toward, and looking at, the ATM. But he obviously was keeping tabs on the mugger, because as soon as the mugger turned away, the victim sprang.
The key element of Condition White is that one is mentally unprepared for the possibility that he would have to do something about something. When one is in Condition White, it's almost impossible to quickly move to take action in a rapidly unfolding crisis. It would be like starting out in a hole and having to first climb out on to level ground before starting to do anything.
But Condition Yellow is sort of like already being out of the hole. So our victim here never really seems completely flummoxed. He is alert and aware, and when given an opportunity acts immediately and decisively.