The Lethal Fallacy of ‘Nonlethal’ Bullets

Written for the Fort Wayne Ink Spot

Rubber bullets, as they’re colloquially known, were reportedly invented by the British at the start of their three-decade conflict (1968-1998) with Northern Ireland, a period of wartime known as The Troubles. They were intended to be fired at the legs of rioters or towards the ground so they lose velocity and bounce up and off legs. The expected results of these once-named nonlethal weapons were contusions and abrasions.

Origins of nonlethal projectiles include wooden bullets (sawed-off broom handles) from Singapore, circa 1880. Rubber bullets were introduced in the United States during the 1960s, to clamp down on anti-war and civil rights demonstrations.

But with any invention, deviations from its original purpose occurred and, because of the escalation inherit to conflict, the rubber bullets were fired directly at people. 17 victims were killed during The Troubles by plastic or rubber bullets.

Multiple reports and video evidence have surfaced, during and after the global Black Lives Matter protests, that police officers fired rubber bullets directly at protestors, at close range and at their heads, which have caused permanent eye damage.

A notable incident involved San Jose resident Derrick Sanderlin, an activist who mediated between the police and minority residents there, who now fears the rubber bullet to his groin could affect his ability to have children.

The “rubber” in the name is somewhat of a misnomer. They are rubber-coated, but their metal core can cause car-accident damage, breaking bones or tearing blood vessels, prompting bleeding to vital organs. Often, they’re steel-cored, 12-gauge shotgun slugs. They can be shot from grenade launchers; at the opposite end of that spectrum, some rounds are even made for pistols and rifles.

These bullets can be made from plastic or from other materials such as metal components in a fabric bag. Today, they have the universal designation of “less lethal,” even though the projectiles can be discharged with velocities similar to live ammunition. If rubber bullets are used, at that speed, bouncing off the ground can still cause serious injury. If wooden bullets are used, like they were reportedly in Columbus, Ohio recently, they could splinter upon impact, exploding into shards.

Studies worldwide have condemned their use. According to a 2020 article, published by National Geographic, the United Nations Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement recommends only using rubber bullets when facing imminent threats and for them to be aimed only at the lower abdomen or legs. Another study released in 2017 by the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health demonstrated that 15% of people struck with rubber bullets, or “kinetic rounds” in some circles, are left with a permanent disability. What exacerbates the physical damage is the fact that internal injuries attributed to rubber bullets cannot always heal themselves, especially if linked to an underlying condition.

 Fast Company.com, MercuryNews.com, NationalGeographic.com, Slate.com, and TheGuardian.com contributed to this story.