Originally posted by taibunsuu
I guess those pepper balls are not safe for riot control. If someone had to die from one to prove it, it's just been done.
Paintball-type projectiles won't hurt you too bad unless they hit you in the eye. Pepper spray won't hurt you too much unless a good amount goes
directly into your mouth and throat, where it can inflame the airway to the point that you can choke to death.
Pepper balls can hit in the eye, and they can hit directly in the mouth. As we all know, if something can go wrong, it will.
Police are
trained to use riot control agents for "effect". One person
being deterred from rioting is not the purpose, but rather a person is
targeted for wide visibility among other individuals about the target.
When others see the terror of the target.. the sobbing, the tears,
running, trying to get away.. the "effect" is to transfer the rioting
causing destruction of property, or the threatening of police officers,
into fear and the need to get away from the area. In the murder of the
girl, the "rioting" was not yet at the level where "responsible" police
action to terrorize the citizens was called for.
The girl was targeted, she was killed.. undoubtedly her death was not
the intent.. but she was.. murdered. For "effect" she would be shot in
the face intentionally, following protocol of police training. Unlikely
the officer responsible will be prosecuted, and a case can probably
be made for manslaughter. A sad day when celebrating a Red Sox
win is to die. What is the value of a human life? A sane response to
property destruction would be to bill the perpetrators for damages.