Across the country, serious accidents are occurring when police and national guard troops fire supposedly “less lethal” forms of ammunition at demonstrators, including rubber bullets and pellet bag rounds (fired from shotguns).  Not only are peaceful demonstrators being hit and seriously injured, but also rounds are being fired indiscriminately at people who have committed no crime of any kind, perhaps in the belief that demonstrators will be frightened but no one will be hurt.  Evidence shows that governments and police forces have long known that these forms of ammunition are unsafe for crowd control purposes. 

In one example, Austin, Texas police fired a lead-pellet bag at unruly protesters. 20-year old Justin Howell, a peaceful protester, was accidentally hit. Justin remains in critical condition with a head injury.  Similarly, in La Mesa, California, a peacefully protesting grandmother remains in intensive care after being hit between between the eyes by a bean bag round. 

Put simply, police in riot gear have no reason to respond to protesters, even if they are unruly, by firing indiscriminately into crowds. 

Sources:

Andrew Weber, “He Wants Action, Not Acknowledgement, After Austin Police Shot His Brother With ‘Less Lethal’ Round,” KUT 90.5 (June 5, 2020) .

Niala Charles, “Grandmother Hit in Head With LMPD ‘Less Lethal’ Projectile Remains in ICU” 7 San Diego (June 4, 2020).

Editorial Board, “No More Rubber Bullets: Phase Out Dangerous Crowd Control Equipment,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (June 7, 2020).