A blind side sucker punch to the head makes it hard to reach your sidearm.
This was a fatal case of 1) putting oneself in the vicinity of ferals and 2) not maintaining complete 360 degree situational awareness especially when ferals are nearby.
I got sucker punch decked by a urban teen when I was 13. I was fortunate to survive an early introduction to them and their habitat.
I would argue that Frederick is not the kind of town where ferais are likely to roam. It is 50 miles from Baltimore, and parts are quite upscale. It is a nice area. I worked there for 8 years and know it fairly well.
I agree on the situational awareness. Even in a nice area like Frederick, one should always be aware of ones surroundings.