The Austin Police Department announced that it is banning the use of less lethal shotguns. This means that all APD officers will no longer be able to use this weapon. But, the restriction is only temporary. 

Austin Police Suspends Less Lethal Shotgun Usage

(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Taser International Vice President of Communications Steve Tuttle displays a Taser round in a shotgun shell at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 9, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to USA Today's latest report, the less lethal shotgun restriction was implemented due to some concerns. 

These concerns include the incidents where the use of less lethal shotguns injured some Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020. 

Aside from this, prosecutors also raised new concerns about why the less lethal shotguns were used on a 15-year-old girl, who was suspected of no crime. 

The latest weapons restriction followed a July 28 memo from Travis County District Atty. Jose Garza. The memo that the attorney sent to Austin Police Chief Joe Chacon included the case of the 15-year-old girl. 

On Friday, Aug. 4, Henderson also released a memo to APD to confirm that the directive was immediately effective. 

"Effective immediately, all sworn personnel will cease the use of less lethal shotguns. This cessation may be temporary as APD and the (District Attorney's office) complete their dialogue," explained the APD chief.

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Are Less Lethal Shotguns That Dangerous? 

(Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Shotguns are seen on display at the George R. Brown Convention Center during the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual convention on May 28, 2022, in Houston, Texas. The annual National Rifle Association comes days after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 

The less lethal shotguns are just like the normal version of the weapon. But, the U.S. Department of Justice explained that the real bullets are replaced by less lethal shotgun rounds. 

These rounds are made of a polymer material that is designed to flatten impact (pancake). Usually, shotguns can deliver less-lethal rounds a distance of up to 25 yards. 

Although they are not deadly compared to live rounds, how they are used against people is still concerning.  

Less Lethal Weapons Criticized

For the past few years, the use of less lethal weapons has been criticized by numerous people in the United States. 

Critics said that the use of less lethal guns for crowd control should be banned, especially because it leads to serious injuries, such as head wounds, blindness, and traumatic brain injuries. 

This was seen in the 2021 case involving a 15-year-old girl, who was shot as police officers looked for her brother who was a suspect in a shooting. 

You can click this link to learn more about this less-lethal weapon incident.  

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