Two cops patrol the streets of Phoenix at night. They receive a call from the dispatcher and drive to the scene. The older officer exits the car to investigate a house. The younger officer tells his partner that he forgot his flashlight and goes back to his vehicle. As he is looking at the house, the older officer is shot. The younger officer calls for backup. He tries to get his gun to confront the killer, but is also shot.

GIRL tells the Criminal Minds team that there has been a recent string of cop killings. They debate whether or not the killings are done by area gang members. They find that the killer takes the officer's badges after he kills them. They figure that the killer's behavior doesn't fit the gang member profile.

The team flies to Phoenix. While on the plane, Garcia tells the team about the most recent killing. She says that the officer that was killed by a gunshot to the neck, which is similar to the previous victims. The team debate if the unsub has a grudge against the police. Hotch asks Garcia to find anything that the officers have in common.

The team meets with the Phoenix police commander, Marks, and his lieutenant Officer Evans. Marks tells Hotch that the officers were killed by guns with two different calibers. Marks says that he thinks that it might be gang members. Hotch says that the FBI has a theory that it is one man. He says that the killer used sophisticated methods to trap the officer, which is not like gang behavior.

Derek and Emily meet with Evans. He tells Derek and Emily that he thinks that a gang is responsible for the police officers' deaths. He says that the local gang is run by a man named Playboy.

Spencer and GIRL are shown the police car video. Spencer says that the killer is looking to boost his self esteem. After the shooting, they see that the killer stands over the victim for a few moments after the killing. They wonder what he is waiting for.

At night, two police officers respond to a call. They see a burnt out vehicle in a parking lot. They see man behind the vehicle and call out to him. The man starts a fire to what appears to be someone's body and the police chase after him. The older officer puts out the fire while the other officer chases after the man. The officer that put out the fire sees that the body is actually a dummy. The younger officer is ambushed and shot in the neck. The older officer calls headquarters and says that his partner is down. The killer shoots at the officer but misses. The killer then gets away. The officer goes to his partner and sees that he is dead.

Derek investigates the scene with Evans. The surviving officer says that he was set up. Evans says that Playboy is the one responsible. Derek says that there is no proof. The older cop says that he got a call to investigate an assault. He says that he didn't get a good look at the guy.