The weapon used by the Boston Police to kill Victoria Snelgrove has come to light in a news article reporting that the Seattle Police Department has suspended its use in light of Ms. Snelgrove’s death. The weapon is the FN303 made by the Virginia based FN Herstal. Have a look at the weapon police forces have been considering using to control street protestors and unauthorized celebrants:
It is not surprising that the weapon is capable of killing. Unlike paintball guns, to which it has wrongly been analogized in news articles, the FN Herstal website notes that “The primary effect is trauma: the shock (15J/cm³) directly neutralizes the aggressor. Secondary effects will be delivered by a chemical payload chosen according to the mission requirements.”
The trauma is achieved by virtue of the fact that the forward part of the projectile is small particles of bismuth (a metal), in essence, tiny shot.
Given that the purpose is to inflict trauma with several grams of metallic particulate, not simply to splatter pepper spray on someone, it is easy to see how a hit to the eye may penetrate far enough to kill, and not merely blind.
If you scroll down the FN303 launcher webpage, you will find this under one of the riot pictures: “For safety reasons, never aim towards face, throat or neck.” Apparently, a shot to the neck also has the potential to be fatal. Now let’s check that picture of the Boston Police officer using this gun:
The officer appears to be actually aiming at head height. We may surmise, therefore, that either he or she has not been properly trained in the use of the weapon (putting aside the question whether the weapon’s use was, legally, proper to begin with), or he or she doesn’t care.
