Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) have called for extreme restrictions on the use of rubber bullets, while Israel has disallowed them except in extreme circumstances and only with special approval from the chief of police, according to a 2016 report put out by PHR and the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO). A shot in the head can cause a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain, adds Dr. Wittman. While many of these protests have remained peaceful demonstrations, some have turned violent. If the strike occurs in your chest, it could cause a deeper injury in chest—a broken rib, a bruised lung. ("Less-lethal," an emergent term and more accurate term, is replacing "non-lethal."). In theory, rubber bullets are supposed to cause less harm than a “regular” bullet. It really only hurt after I started fucking with it to stop the bleeding. What to Do if You're Hit by a Police Baton, What to Do Immediately if You're Pepper Sprayed, What to Do if Squats Make Your Knees Hurt, A Former Opioid Addict Tests CBD for Pain Control. If there is, apply direct pressure. A Doctor Shared 6 Pandemic Mental Health Tips, Build a Bigger Chest With This Bodyweight Workout, Guys, Stop Trying to Train the Women in Your Life, Oven-Roasted Ribs Are Your Super Bowl Feast. That means keeping it clean, icing it (a bag of frozen vegetables works just fine, he says), taking Tylenol or ibuprofen, and monitoring it for signs of infection. Some people wear body armor such as a bullet-proof vest to reduce the impact, but it’s not always legal to do so. Stay home if you have symptoms or have close contact with someone who is at higher risk for getting Covid, she adds. As a physician, I take care of everyone. Think birdshot vs 00 buckshot. Most commonly the projectile will have a blunt head (shaped more like a rubber cork than an actual pointed bullet), be fired in the manner intended, at a distance intended. It could have hurt all of my throat, could have been prone to more blood clots, could have been a lot worse.” Maurer is one of several reporting they were hit with rubber bullets on Monday night. The use of a rubber bullet is one of the more controversial crowd-control measures, says Robert Glatter, MD, an emergency physician in New York City. Projectiles do not usually cause an open injuries or lacerations, but they could, says Goodloe, so check for bleeding. What should you do in the hours and days that follow to ensure that you're healing as well as possible? This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Rubber bullets and other KIPs are touted as non-lethal alternatives to traditional bullets and, while they may be less dangerous than traditional firearms, says Dr. Wittman, “there is absolutely a significant risk in being shot by one of these especially if the shot is at close range and in the neck and head area.”. We recommend our users to update the browser. In a follow-up tweet he wrote: "The rubber bullet hit stings like a mf, and is starting to hurt, talked to doctor friends, said if not having trouble breathing then ok. In an attempt to control demonstrations, law enforcement officials have turned to less-lethal weapons, such as tear gas, pepper spray, police batons, and rubber bullets. Internal bleeding and damage to organs are other potential injuries. It is a 12-gauge shell that contains many rubber coated pellets. A study published in 2017 in the BMJ found that 3% of people hit by rubber bullets died of the injury. If you choose to call 911, do so yourself, or ask someone else if you're unable. Make sure they’re engaging in that conversation and understanding what you are saying. Rubber bullets when used correctly are effective deterents and keep riots contained. In total, the studies encompasses 1,984 people who had been hurt by projectiles, including rubber or plastic bullets, polyurethane bullets with a hollow nose known as … A word about Covid-19. Once the person effected is in a safe location, determine if you need to call 911 based upon that person's condition in regards to consciousness, awareness, bleeding, and other potentially dangerous circumstances. According to Less Lethal Ammunition rubber bullets, they are intended to “cause pain but not serious injury” and they are a “non-lethal” alternative to regular projectiles, which we see every day. Not to mention the anxiety that often ensues from any form of violence, especially at a time like this. And then there's the matter of after-care. Ask them “Are you okay?” If that person took a projectile to the head, check to see if they are dazed, confused, and acting in a normal way. STORY: Occupy Oakland Turns Bloody! Hospital evaluation might include an X-ray; if you’re hit in the leg, for example, and you’re having increasing pain and are unable to walk, says Corey Slovis, MD chairman of emergency medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, as well as medical director for the Nashville fire department and airport. Rubber Bullets Don't Hit As Hard As One Might Think There's no doubt that rubber bullets are effective or that they will be effective, at least as far as rubber bullets as a class of projectiles. "Other than for the most minor of injuries, it's always better to see a professional," says Goodloe. Due to the increased pain and risk when shot at close range most riots where rubber bullets are involved usually keep at least a 50 meter distance from the policing force … "Think about taking a golf ball to your thigh," says Goodloe. 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. So yeah, it's very unlikely you will die, but you will not be getting up any time soon. So what, exactly, happens when a rubber bullet hits the human body? The shooter was a German foreign exchange student with surprisingly bad muzzle awareness, trigger safety, et cetera, but since the damage was minor we all laughed it off. "If you’re just a few feet away, that’s going to hurt a lot. Still, rubber bullets are being used widely by law enforcement to subdue often peaceful protesters in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Going home." But rubber bullets can deliver a debilitating amount of pain and carry both immediate and potentially long-term harmful effects. What you get with a 12 gauge rubber bullet round is a shell with several rubber coated pellets. The effects can range from bruising to internal bleeding. “A direct hit by a rubber bullet may crack a rib or inflict a very painful tissue bruise. And in Washington, DC, the National Guard allegedly used the bullets to clear protesters in Lafayette Square in anticipation of President Trump walking through the area. According to the PHR/INCLO report, rubber bullets are one of a category of weapons called kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs), says Ian Wittman, MD, chief of emergency medicine at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn. “Their projectile force is equivalent to that of a bullet, so if fired at close range they hit people as hard as a metal bullet. But, studies show they are powerful enough to permanently maim and kill. Obviously a direct hit in an eye is totally damaging to the eye.” How they work. My job is to assess injuries and determine how I can best take care of them. "So it really is designed to be aimed in a ricochet manner, directed at a non-critical area—the upper leg, thigh, or around someone’s hip," he says. If you see someone hit with a rubber bullet, what can you do to help them? Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. If the person is having trouble walking, help them do so, enlisting the help of another if needed. A direct hit by a rubber bullet may crack a rib or inflict a very painful tissue bruise. You see, rubber bullets are intended to be fired at the ground first, and then hit a person to modify the behavior that was of concern to the law enforcement officer, says Goodloe. “The abuse of crowd-control weapons by law enforcement is compounding the trauma of George Floyd’s killing,” comments Dr. Haar. If you get shot, don’t look at the wound if at all possible. "They are the local experts on which hospitals have which capabilities so that you can get the care you need for more specialized injuries—eye care, throat specialists, chest care. Either way you cut it, you don’t want to be hit with a rubber bullet. (Ask them what year it is, what month it is, and/or who the president is, suggests Goodloe.). "If the strike hits you in the anterior part of your neck, it could cause significant cutting injuries or bruising of the airway. If you are hit with one, is there anything you can do to immediately lessen the pain and effects? Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Hopefully, with proper coordination and clarity, help will arrive swiftly. The 1.5-inch rubber bullets were designed as an indirect fire projectile, initially used in Europe to quell riots in the 1970s. Warn others in the area that law enforcement officials are using rubber bullets and seek medical attention promptly. Rubber bullets should feel like being hit with a paintball Rubber bullets are what they sound like, though sometimes they're not completely made of rubber and instead are made of another material like steel and coated in rubber, Torradas said. This depends on several key factors: the composition and shape of the projectile itself, the distance between the person impacted by the bullet and from where it was fired, and whether the impact was a direct hit or a ricochet hit. According to Wired bullets are either made from, or coated with, rubber – to cause pain but minimise serious injury. My role is not to judge someone. "It's much easier and safer for EMTs and paramedics outside of the crowd," Goodloe says. Rubber bullets hurt like an absolute bitch. There have also been reports of collapsed lungs, fractures, chest injuries, spleen, and bowel injuries, says Dr. Glatter. Paul is the Food & Nutrition Editor of Men’s Health. Rubber bullets are flying . “If you are shot by a projectile, you should seek medical care immediately, whether you’re shot by a traditional gun or shot by a so-called less-than lethal-weapon,” says Dr. Wittman. In summary, when the unpredictability of rubber bullets meets the unpredictability of a chaotic environment, devastating effects can occur. The number varies, but you can get many smaller pellets or a few larger pellets. She is also a community artist and recipient or partner in five National Endowment for the Arts grants. (Make sure you know ways to handle a medical emergency.). This said, any changes in the variables previously mentioned—the bullet shape, distance traveled, or direction of the impact—can create more dangerous complications. Rubber bullets are less harmful than subduing people by “physical force or regular bullets, Mell said. Rubber Bullets Hurt John Ruffner was shot in the back with a rubber bullet at a Black Lives Matter event in Sacramento, May 30, 2020. We may earn a commission through links on our site. That last method of less-lethal force—rubber bullets—may sound innocuous (or at least less threatening than "real" bullets). “Long pants, long sleeves are padding to absorb impact as well,” says Dr. Glatter. “Most commonly, rubber bullets cause contusions (bruises) and mild swelling, but they have been known to cause fractures, loss of the function of eyes (in … Wearing a face shield or goggles and a helmet may “protect the most vulnerable areas of the body,” says Dr. Wittman. They will work the same as a normal shotgun shell when it comes to the coverage of the pellet pattern. If these conditions are met, Goodloe says, then the rubber bullet will temporarily incapacitate the movement of the person it has been fired at. Obviously a direct hit in an eye is totally damaging to the eye. Other Fun Rounds. And there have been several reports of harm, including a grandmother who ended up in intensive care after a rubber bullet struck her between the eyes. What effects does the impact have? We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), grandmother who ended up in intensive care, Physicians for Human Rights and International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations, This Is the Scientific Reason Why Couples Get Back Together After a Breakup, You Don’t Have to Be a Prepper to Love This Disaster Planning App, Here’s Why Showering During a Thunderstorm is a Terrible Idea, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. That’s part of the oath any physician takes. In 2009, she served as writer-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. So-called rubber bullets can be fired as a single shot or as pellets (called “shot”). This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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