[Casimer]

He wasn't mugged. The assailants gave-up on the mugging and shot him as they were leaving. Despite what the victim has assumed about the situation, and their motivation, I suspect he'd have been shot regardless.

That said, I don't know what he could have done - two kids, no weapon apparent, no violence [ prior to the shooting ]. He probably should have high-tailed it when he saw the one passing the pistol to the other.

When I'd lived in DC many moons ago, Adams Morgan was the type of neighborhood where muggers would go for an easy mark - lot's of affluent passive white students and young professionals. That sounds like what this incident was.