In US, guns are often in the wrong hands. Everyday people are robbed by others who point a gun (or even a knife) at them. To avoid being a victim of such a crime,

• Ask about the safety of your surrounding areas;
• Do not walk on your own, definitely not at night;
• Try stay home at night, until your have a car;
• Don't carry a lot of cash with you, but do carry around $20 to save yourself. If the robber cannot get anything from you, you may have to suffer.

In case you are robbed, give whatever the robber demands. After all, money comes and goes, but your life is once for all. Remembering the characters of the robber(s) is also a low-priority task. When you are sure of your safety, report the incident to the police.