Rubber bullets, a.k.a. After George Floyd was killed, protests erupted throughout the entire country, calling for an end to police brutality and justice for Floyd and other Black Americans, like Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, who have met a similar fate at the hands of racial injustice. 2010 Sep;31(3):255-7. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181e12823. Today, law enforcement officials fire rubber bullets to enforce crowd control, with the idea that they will cause less bodily harm than a regular metal bullet. The 2017 meta-analysis mentioned above examined data from 2,135 rubber bullets injuries and concluded that 71% were severe. National Center for Biotechnology Information, Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. By 2005, 125,000 baton rounds had … COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. [The specific mechanism of bruising inflicted by rubber bullets of traumatic weapons]. From 1973 to 1981, just over 42,600 plastic bullets were fired in Northern Ireland. kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs), are bullets made of plastic, rubber, or other similar materials. The case raised a question as to how severe an injury is necessary to deter a person without causing death. J Med Case Rep. 2011 Aug 10;5:362. doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-5-362. Here’s what you need to know about the injuries they can cause, according to doctors. Suicidal shot in the mouth with rubber bullets. 2008 Jul 4;178(2-3):213-7. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.03.020. Guérant M, Vaz MA, Peoc'h M, Gaillard Y, Boyer B. Chowaniec C, Kobek M, Jabłoński C, Kabiesz-Neniczka S, Karczewska W. Forensic Sci Int. J Emerg Med. 2006 Oct;31(3):325-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2005.09.022. Objective We conducted a systematic review of the available literature on deaths, injuries and permanent disability from rubber and plastic bullets, as well as from bean bag rounds, shot pellets and other projectiles used in arrests, protests and other contexts from 1 January 1990 until 1 June 2017. The effects of being hit with a rubber bullet, can range from bruising to internal bleeding. But, in reality, they can do serious damage. One patient suffered damage to their cornea from a taser fired at close range. Case-study of fatal gunshot wounds from non-lethal projectiles. “They often don’t make the situation any better, and often increase tensions and make things much worse.”. A massive review study published in the journal BMJ Open in 2017 analyzed 1,984 rubber bullet injuries, Inverse reports. Most of the disabilities included blindness, removal of the spleen, and removal of a section of the bowel. Rubber bullets are one of the less-lethal (nonlethal) weapons, which are increasingly used to incapacitate dangerous individuals, avoiding use of firearms. A review of the literature demonstrated that the feature of injuries appeared to be related to the type of missile. That begs the question: What exactly are rubber bullets made of if they can cause this type of harm? Chile is one country that has tamped down on the use of rubber bullets. Injury pattern of the Flash-Ball, a less-lethal weapon used for law enforcement: report of two cases and review of the literature. Pulmonary contusion in a collegiate diver: a case report. That psychologically combined with inadequate weapon training programs, beyond what’s taught in police academies, make rubber bullets potentially serious weapons, says Coursen. However, “rubber bullets basically fire out of the weapon pretty much as fast as a bullet,” explains crowd control weapons expert Rohini Haar, M.D., M.P.H., research fellow at the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley’s School of Law, PHR medical expert, and author of Lethal in Disguise: The Health Impacts of Crowd-Control Weapons. And what does getting hit by one really feel like? The notice was filed on behalf of Alyssa Schukar, who was hit in the left hand by a rubber bullet. Leonov SV, Mikhaĭlenko AV, Slautinskaia AV. 2020 Sep;9(3):1-7. doi: 10.1007/s40123-020-00271-9. As protesters filled the streets of downtown San Jose, Calif., recently, the police fired munitions known as rubber bullets into the crowd — a common technique to disperse throngs. Ifantides C, Deitz GA, Christopher KL, Slingsby TJ, Subramanian PS. In California, a 59-year-old woman was hospitalized in an intensive-care unit and later entered a coma after she was shot between the eyes with either a rubber bullet or a beanbag round, which is also categorized as a nonlethal weapon. “There really is no role for rubber bullets in crowd control,” Dr. Haar says. Although rubber bullets from NLHHWs are designed to induce blunt injuries to incapacitate violent individuals without using firearms, they might induce death as well as severe trauma with irreversible functional consequences and long-term social implications. I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. NLM  |  USA.gov. ... because they fly through the air so much slower than a bullet. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Get the latest public health information from CDC: https://www.coronavirus.gov, Get the latest research information from NIH: https://www.nih.gov/coronavirus, Find NCBI SARS-CoV-2 literature, sequence, and clinical content: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sars-cov-2/. Suicide with a homemade shotgun: case report and review of literature. Less-lethal rubber-bullet weapons are designed to induce blunt injuries that incapacitate violent individuals. Research backs that up. ❗If you are a protestor or bystander who gets hit by a rubber bullet and experience heavy bleeding, deep bruising, or other worrisome symptoms, head to the ER immediately. From her experience, patients described it as “extremely painful” and that it “feels like being hit by a baseball bat really hard.”, I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. The case raised a question as to how severe an injury is necessary to deter a person without causing death. He was not incapacitated and died of suicidal gunshot wound. Los Angeles, Portland Oregon, and Austin, Texas are identified in the research as locations where head injuries happened more frequently resulting … There was 1 death and 17 people in the series had permanent disabilities or deformities. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, California Doctor Says He's Been Offered Bribes For Vaccines as State's Rollout Flounders, Gunmen abduct 8 children from a Nigerian orphanage. Over the past week, police departments across the country have fired rubber bullets into crowds of peaceful protesters, causing extensive injuries. A medical doctor explains what to do if you're struck by one. Projectile type: Rubber bullet or similar object (such as a bean bag round or pepper ball) and a tear gas canister. An autopsy examination of a man who was shot with improved rubber bullets revealed that the bullet caused pulmonary contusion. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street @LAist @kpcc OK, that’s one way to stop me, for a while pic.twitter.com/9C2u5KmscG. Would you like email updates of new search results? SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — In a video posted online, Tee Fansofa shows injuries they say happened on Saturday as protesters were met by law enforcement officers in Sacramento. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. With that, law enforcement has taken extreme measures to control crowds, including the use of pepper spray, tear gas, physical force, and even rubber bullets. But, in reality, they can do serious damage. In theory, rubber bullets are supposed to cause less harm than a “regular” bullet. An autopsy examination of a man who was shot with improved rubber bullets revealed that the bullet caused pulmonary contusion. The injuries in 90 patients caused by rubber bullets are described. HHS A variety of rubber bullets have been used in the world, and they have occasionally produced severe or lethal injuries. Twitter is filled with comments from people who were hit by rubber bullets over the weekend. The plastic bullet was first used in 1973 by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Northern Ireland's police force, and by 1975 it had replaced the rubber bullet. Researchers from the BMJ study came to this conclusion: Rubber bullets “do not appear to be an appropriate means of force in crowd-control settings.” Physicians for Human Rights also opposes their use. Injuries in these areas are thought to be more severe due to the fact that the elasticity and the viscosity is lower. 2018 May;32:52-56. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.02.009. Epub 2018 Mar 2. The most common injury to the eye from tear gas is chemical. And sign up for our FREE newsletter here for daily health, nutrition, and fitness advice. Aim and scope: We intend to study the functional and aesthetic impairments and the cost in terms of social health resulting from rubber-bullet facial trauma. Pattern of rubber bullet injuries in the lower limbs: A report from Kashmir. “These weapons are supposed to be used with proportionate force, like when they’re absolutely required, which is not what you see in the protests that are going on now.”. Ophthalmol Ther. Go here to subscribe to Prevention and get 12 FREE gifts. Dhar SA, Dar TA, Wani SA, Maajid S, Bhat JA, Mir NA, Dar IH, Hussain S. Chin J Traumatol. Rubber bullets have killed folks and can cause permanent damage, brain damage, concussions etc." According to Glatter, depending on where a person is hit, rubber bullet impacts have been "linked to devastating eye injuries including a ruptured eyeball, destroying the integrity of the eye itself with permanent loss of vision, traumatic brain injuries, and solid organ injury." It's been proven that rubber and plastic bullets are too dangerous for crowd control and have even been banned" in other parts of the world. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. More than 15% of survivors were left with permanent disability, usually due to being shot in the head and neck. In theory, rubber bullets are supposed to cause less harm than a “regular” bullet. 30 g in weight and consisted of a sponge foam nose with 40-mm diameter and a plastic body. The risk of serious injury and disability is high,” says Dr. Haar. In particular, shocking photos of rubber bullet injuries have circulated all over Twitter, including large purple bruises, intense swelling, and open gashes covered in blood. He was not incapacitated and died of suicidal gunshot wound. Lethal in Disguise: The Health Impacts of Crowd-Control Weapons, Bleeding around internal organs, like the liver, kidneys, spleen, and heart, Eye injuries, like vision loss due to rupture of the eye, bleeding in the eye, or detachment of the retina. Rubber bullets are a type of “less lethal” weapon, but they can still cause injuries, including severe ones. Rubber bullets are one of the less-lethal (nonlethal) weapons, which are increasingly used to incapacitate dangerous individuals, avoiding use of firearms. Another teenage girl was reportedly shot in the face with a rubber bullet as she was walking home, leaving her face severely bloodied.  |  The group found 26 studies on the use of rubber bullets around the world, documenting a total of 1,984 injuries. Linda Tirado, a freelance photographer and activist, suffered a rubber bullet injury Friday in Minneapolis, and was left permanently blinded in her left eye. 2016 Jun 1;19(3):129-33. doi: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2015.05.005. Many protests have drawn thousands in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. “When they make contact with a person’s trunk, head, or neck they can cause more serious injuries,” Dr. Larrimore says. The most common injuries are to the skin and extremities, like bruises, cuts, and broken bones, Dr. Larrimore explains. Doctors Explain How Rubber Bullets Can Actually Cause Life-Threatening Injuries. Aim and scope We intend to study the functional and aesthetic impairments and the cost in terms of social health resulting from rubber-bullet facial trauma. The U.S. first started using rubber bullets during Vietnam War protests in the 1960s, according to the nonprofit organization Physicians for Human Rights. Less-Lethal Weapons Resulting in Ophthalmic Injuries: A Review and Recent Example of Eye Trauma. Data sources PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR and grey literature. Despite the name, rubber bullets typically have either a metal core with a rubber coating, or are a homogeneous admixture with rubber being a minority component. Such bullets are dangerous, the petition says, adding, "They may cause bone fractures, injuries to internal organs, or even death. Mechanical injury to the eye can occur from the metal tear gas canister, similar to that from a rubber bullet. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. Leg Med (Tokyo). 2014 Jan-Feb;57(1):16-7. A variety of rubber bullets have been used in the world, and they have occasionally produced severe or lethal injuries. This site needs JavaScript to work properly. He then claimed officers had removed or … Rubber bullets (also called rubber baton rounds) are a type of Baton round. In a …  |  “KIPs are not an appropriate weapon to be used for crowd management and specifically for dispersal purposes,” the organization writes online. Data showed that 53 people died of their injuries, with penetrative injuries making up more than half of those cases and blunt trauma causing 23% of the deaths. Abigail Rodas, who was shot in the jaw with a rubber bullet on May 30, was one of the victims in Los Angeles, according to a lawsuit filed against the city and the police chief on … Support from readers like you helps us do our best work. The bullet was 30 g in weight and consisted of a sponge foam nose with 40-mm diameter and a plastic body. That can include the following: “These more serious injuries, particularly those to the head and neck, can result in death,” Dr. Larrimore says. “It is deeply concerning that these are being used. Epub 2020 Aug 5. Here’s how they have described it: Ashley Larrimore, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says she has taken care of several patients over the past few days who were hit by rubber bullets. States reporting serious eye injuries: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas They are a less lethal alternative to metal projectiles, but can still cause serious injuries such as blindness, permanent disability, and death. 14. Sud Med Ekspert. NIH Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Dion Brown, 20, says a Fort Lauderdale police officer shot him from close range with a rubber bullet, injuring his jaw, during a protest Sunday. 3 Unlike plastic bullets, rubber bullets cause more severe injuries to the head, 4 “It can lead to a lot of injuries you don’t want.”. It becomes more important for a forensic pathologist to be familiar with rubber bullets and injuries caused by them as the use of less-lethal weapon increases. Less-lethal rubber-bullet weapons are designed to induce blunt injuries that incapacitate violent individuals. According to a 2017 meta-analysis published in the journal BMJ Open, manufacturers create more than 75 different types in various countries—from Brazil to China to the United States. “Because they’re bigger and less dense, they are supposed to slow down a lot faster.”, She explains that rubber bullets are a hard plastic—“not like a Nerf gun.” And once the bullet is fired “it has a very unpredictable trajectory and won’t often go where you think it’s going to go.” That means if you’re shot at a close range “you’re getting shot as hard as a bullet comes out, in most cases,” Dr. Haar says. Social media has been flooded with images from people experiencing the severity of these tactics firsthand. 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