They hit his car, robbed and shot him. What to know about 'bump and run' carjackings

You’re sitting at a light or motoring down the road when you feel a jolt from behind - someone has bumped the back of your car. A little fender bender, that’s all.

In this situation, many people would probably pull off to the side, get out, check out the damage and exchange information with the other driver.

But when one Atlanta man did that, he got a gun in his face, a demand for his money and vehicle, and, eventually, bullets in his abdomen and back.

According to WXIA, the 40-year-old victim was driving a Toyota Avalon in southwest Atlanta on Feb. 2 when a black and white Crown Victoria bumped the back of his car.

But when he got out to check the damage, the other driver allegedly pulled a gun and demanded his valuables and his car. Then he shot the victim twice, leaving him face down with blood coming out of gunshot wounds to his lower back and abdomen, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

In a video released by the Atlanta Police Department, the Crown Victoria can be seen rapidly reversing away from the scene while the victim’s car peels away in the opposite direction as the victim stumbles out of the road.

He was taken to the hospital in stable condition, and his car was found the next day. The victim’s credit card had been used to buy gas, police said. The suspect is still on the loose, police say.

These types of robberies have taken on the name “bump-and-run” carjacking - and they happen more than you might think. At various times, police departments have reported strings of the crimes in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Baltimore,Milwaukee and elsewhere.

So how would you protect yourself from this type of crime?

Police say it all depends on how the situation feels. If you’re in an area that’s well-lit and well-traveled, it should be okay to call 911 and report the accident, get out and begin exchanging information with the driver.

But if you feel unsafe, it’s fine to take some mental notes about the accident and drive somewhere else.

"If you're feeling unsafe or unsure about the area that you're in or the people involved in the accident, we always recommend that you go to a well-lit area,” Stephanie Brown with the Atlanta Police Department told WXIA.

“Be sure that you call 911 and let them know where you're going so we can send an officer there to assist you.”

Chicago police told WGNTVyou can also turn off the engine, lock your doors and windows and take your keys with you when you leave the vehicle. That could frustrate the thieves long enough that they might just decide to give up and run.

“Always call the police right away. You're not bothering us. It's part of our job to document those crashes," police in Westlake, Ohio told Fox 8 after a reported bump-and-run in 2016.

“If you have any concerns, just don't like the area, the other person involved is acting strange, trust your instincts. We're not going to charge you with a hit skip if you go to a well-lighted, populated place and call the police.”

This story was originally published February 21, 2018 at 10:29 AM with the headline "They hit his car, robbed and shot him. What to know about 'bump and run' carjackings."