Street Violence, Sleeper Cells and Cartels: What You Should Actually Prepare For

This article first appeared on AmmoLand News on July 22nd, 2025, and appears here now with fresh updates.

The threat to everyday Americans doesn’t just come from foreign terror groups like Hezbollah or Iranian-backed sleeper cells. It also comes from Mexican drug cartels, criminal street gangs, and even radicalized American citizens sympathetic to extremist ideologies—some of whom are just looking for an excuse to unleash violence in their own communities.

What we actually see far more often isn’t some coordinated terrorist hit squad—it’s lone attackers or violent mobs targeting innocent people with guns, knives, vehicles, Molotov cocktails, or just brute force.

Even in places like Cleveland, Ohio, we’ve seen so-called “street takeovers” where thugs block intersections, shut down interstates, light off fireworks, do donuts in stolen cars, and—yes—brandish firearms at passing motorists. That’s not a hypothetical. That’s what’s actually happening right here at home.

So the real question isn’t if violence can happen near you. It’s when, and more importantly, how prepared are you to deal with it?

Stop Prepping for a Movie Plot

Spend five minutes on YouTube and you’ll get hit with a tidal wave of nonsense: guys packing their daily driver like it’s a rolling armory, or building go bags full of flint strikers, fishing kits, and bushcraft tools like they’re about to trek across the Yukon on foot.

Your fire-starting kit isn’t getting your family out of the mall when shots ring out. And you’re not throwing on a plate carrier in the middle of an ambush at the gas station.

We’ve let fantasy replace reality. Hollywood, social media, and way too many “tactical” influencers have convinced people they need to be kitted up for a full-blown insurgency. Eight mags, a chest rig under the seat, a short-barreled rifle in the back of the truck—because that’s what looks cool on Instagram.

But real-world preparedness? It’s simple, scalable, and context-dependent.

What Makes Sense? Here’s What I Run:

Real-world readiness starts with gear that supports mobility, awareness, and survivability—not impractical loadouts for a fight that’s never coming.

On-Body Carry

My setup is boring—and that’s the point. It works, every single day:

• Handgun: PSA Compact Dagger carried appendix-style in a Tier 1 Concealed Axis Elite holster.
• Spare Mag: Always one on-body, staged beside the pistol for quick access.
• Light: A Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA rides in my pocket. Small, powerful, and dual-fuel capable.
• Blade: Basic Swiss Army Knife—because utility matters more than tacticool.
• Medical: A SWAT-T tourniquet in the back pocket. Compact, light, and gets the job done when seconds count.

I’ll never carry my pistol off-body. Ever. Your mileage may vary, but that’s a hard rule for me.

Live Inventory Price Checker

	Glock 48 MOS 9mm Pistol, Black - PA4850201RMOS	Palmetto State Armory	$ 599.99 $ 499.99
	Glock 48 MOS 9mm Pistol - 10rd	Rainier Arms	$ 533.99
	Glock G45/MOS 9mm Pistol, Black - PA455S203MOS	Palmetto State Armory	$ 839.99 $ 620.99
	Faxon Pistol Compensator for Glock Gen 4 9mm Pistols	Ammunition Depot	$ 65.99

Minimalist Go Bag

This isn’t a bug-out bag. It’s a force multiplier for my EDC—nothing more.

Stored in the center console of my truck is a SOE FUPA fanny pack loaded with:

• Additional trauma gear to supplement what’s on-body
• A few extra pistol mags for sustained capacity
• Emergency cash — because not every emergency involves a gun
• A power bank and phone cable to keep comms up when I need it most

That’s it. No plate carrier, no stove, and no ferro rod. Just what makes sense for the real world I actually live in.

The Threat Profile Has Changed

Let’s get something straight: Iranian sleeper cells exist. DHS has acknowledged the threat for years. And it’s not just them. Mexican drug cartels have a foothold in border states. Radicalized U.S. citizens—whether motivated by politics, ideology, or pure chaos—have shown they’re just as capable of carrying out attacks.

But here’s the thing: You’re not likely to face a Hamas-style assault in your neighborhood. You’re far more likely to deal with a lone attacker at a grocery store, a drive-by at an intersection, or a street mob that turns violent.

Even right here in Cleveland, Ohio, we’ve seen coordinated “street takeovers”—blocking intersections, pointing firearms at motorists, launching fireworks, and instigating violence in broad daylight. That’s not a theory. Those are recent incidents.

Train for Probability—Not Fantasy

Are there risks of foreign-linked asymmetric attacks? Sure. But the statistically likely threat is local, fast, and violent. And you won’t have time to dig through a bag of gear or pop open your truck vault when it hits.

You need to train and plan for the most probable scenario, not the most cinematic one.

• A couple of extra mags? Smart.
• Basic trauma kit? Absolutely.
• Chest rig and rifle under the car seat? Overkill for 99.9% of us.

Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Stay Dangerous

This isn’t about living in fear. It’s about recognizing that violence doesn’t always come wrapped in a Middle Eastern flag or wearing a uniform. Sometimes it looks like a car barreling through a crowd. Sometimes it’s a lunatic with a knife in a parking lot.

Your job is to be ready—not paranoid, not decked out in gear you saw in a video game—but ready in a real, functional, and sustainable way.

• Carry your gun.
• Carry a light.
• Carry a tourniquet.
• Carry some extra ammo.
• Know how to use it all.

That’s it.

So ask yourself:

Are you actually prepared for what’s likely? Or are you just LARPing for something that probably won’t happen?

Let us know in the comments what you actually carry—and more importantly, why.

About Scott Witner

Scott Witner is a former Marine Corps Infantryman with 2ndBn/8th Marines. He completed training in desert warfare at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Mountain Warfare and survival at the Mountain Warfare Training Center, the South Korean Mountain Warfare School in Pohang, and the Jungle Warfare school in the jungles of Okinawa, Japan. He now enjoys recreational shooting, trail running, hiking, functional fitness, and working on his truck. Scott resides in Northeastern Ohio.