US Law Enforcement's Less Lethal Tactics Spark Outrage Amid Rising Fatalities
In the wake of a surge in violent incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, concerns are mounting over the use of "less lethal" crowd control weapons by law enforcement. These tactics have come under scrutiny as the administration faces backlash for numerous killings carried out by federal immigration officers.
Critics argue that even when used with intention to minimize harm, these less-lethal munitions can still cause severe injury or death. Recent incidents in California and Minnesota demonstrate this point, where protesters were injured after being hit with "less lethal" projectiles.
One such incident involved Kaden Rummler, a 21-year-old who was shot in the face by an ICE agent using a less-lethal round while demonstrating against the killing of Renee Good. The officer's actions led to severe injuries, including fracturing Rummler's skull and rendering him blind for life in one eye.
These incidents highlight the issue with law enforcement not always following established guidelines when deploying these weapons. In Hummler's case, the officer was seen pointing directly at his face, which goes against training that instructs officers to aim lower body shots.
Experts emphasize the problem of misused less-lethal munitions, leading to serious injuries and fatalities. Dr. Michele Heisler notes that even when used according to guidelines, these weapons can still result in injury. The consensus among experts is that kinetic impact projectiles should never be safely used to disperse crowds.
Lawmakers have taken steps to address concerns by passing regulations on police use of less-lethal munitions. California passed laws requiring police to attempt de-escalation before using such tools and prohibiting the indiscriminate firing into crowds.
In the wake of a surge in violent incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, concerns are mounting over the use of "less lethal" crowd control weapons by law enforcement. These tactics have come under scrutiny as the administration faces backlash for numerous killings carried out by federal immigration officers.
Critics argue that even when used with intention to minimize harm, these less-lethal munitions can still cause severe injury or death. Recent incidents in California and Minnesota demonstrate this point, where protesters were injured after being hit with "less lethal" projectiles.
One such incident involved Kaden Rummler, a 21-year-old who was shot in the face by an ICE agent using a less-lethal round while demonstrating against the killing of Renee Good. The officer's actions led to severe injuries, including fracturing Rummler's skull and rendering him blind for life in one eye.
These incidents highlight the issue with law enforcement not always following established guidelines when deploying these weapons. In Hummler's case, the officer was seen pointing directly at his face, which goes against training that instructs officers to aim lower body shots.
Experts emphasize the problem of misused less-lethal munitions, leading to serious injuries and fatalities. Dr. Michele Heisler notes that even when used according to guidelines, these weapons can still result in injury. The consensus among experts is that kinetic impact projectiles should never be safely used to disperse crowds.
Lawmakers have taken steps to address concerns by passing regulations on police use of less-lethal munitions. California passed laws requiring police to attempt de-escalation before using such tools and prohibiting the indiscriminate firing into crowds.
it sounds so scary! like why would someone point directly at your face when you're just trying to protest? 
i know some ppl might say its all about maintaining order and safety but i feel like there gotta be better ways to handle those situations. has anyone else heard of these less lethal weapons being used before? 
what kinda training do law enforcement officers get on using them? are they not taught to aim for the legs or something? 
I'm super concerned about these "less lethal" tactics being used by law enforcement... like what's the point of calling them "less lethal" if they can still seriously injure people? 
I mean, I get that protesters can be rowdy and get out of hand, but using projectiles to disperse crowds feels like overkill. We need officers trained to handle situations safely and peacefully, not relying on random shots into the air. 
It's scary when we see these incidents where people are seriously hurt or even lose their sight. I'm all for regulating police use of these tools, but how can that be enforced if there's no clear standard? 
seriously though, these "less lethal" rounds can still be super deadly if not used right & it's only a matter of time before someone loses an eye or gets a skull fractured... like that poor kid Kaden Rummler 
can't they just try to de-escalate the situation like normal? 
& btw, why do we need laws regulating this stuff anyway? isn't that what police training is for? 
. I've seen videos of these kinetic impact projectiles going off like fireworks – they're not exactly "less lethal". People need to be more aware of what's going on when these incidents happen... it's not just about the officer following protocol, but also the public being prepared 
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maybe with more regulation and de-escalation techniques, we can prevent these types of tragedies from happening in the future 
The whole 'de-escalation' thing is just code for 'let the protesters do whatever they want and deal with it'. It's time to take a firm stance against lawlessness and disorder 
. I mean, just look at Kaden Rummler's story – the fact that he got hit in the face and lost his eye is just heartbreaking 
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. I mean, it's all well and good to say they're supposed to minimize harm, but what happens when they don't? 
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. It just doesn't seem right when these officers aren't following the training guidelines for using these things. They're supposed to aim at lower body shots not directly at people's faces 
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. We need to make sure that police use these tools responsibly and follow established protocols. The experts are clear: kinetic impact projectiles should never be used to disperse crowds 
. This is a critical moment for reform, and I hope that lawmakers can work together to create safer communities for everyone 
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Like in Kaden Rummler's case, it just goes to show that even with guidelines, accidents still happen. And honestly, who wants to be shot in the face by a rubber bullet? 
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. I've seen cases where they're using those rounds and the person gets hurt really badly... it's just not right 
I'm all for de-escalation, but come on, we need to make sure our cops are trained properly before handing out these toys 
. The whole thing just feels so reckless and unprofessional