The manufacturer's guidelines show that the pepper ball gun has a firing distance of at least 1.8 meters, and the head of a variety of riot guns can be fatal

During the past two months of demonstrations and clashes, the police have not disclosed the standards for the use of many firearms and weapons. The FactWire fax agency integrates the manufacturer's usage guidelines and product specifications of firearms and weapons commonly used in police clearance operations, and produces a map for the public's reference and understanding.

During the past two months of demonstrations and clashes, the police have not disclosed the standards for the use of many firearms and weapons. FactWire checked the manufacturer's guidelines for firearms and weapons commonly used in police clearance operations and found that the pepper ball gun used in Taikoo MTR station had a safety warning stating that it should avoid firing at people less than 1.8 meters away. The police once stated that the firing distance of the pepper ball gun at Taikoo Station that night was about one to two meters, and it was confirmed that a safe distance was reached at that time.

In addition, the manufacturer's guidelines for the rubber bullets, beanbag rounds and tear gas fired by the police on multiple occasions also listed the fatal risk of hitting the head. The Facsimile Agency integrates the information on these low-lethal weapons and makes a series of pictures for public reference and understanding.

At about 11:00 p.m. on August 11, the police fired pepper ball guns at close range at the escalator at Exit C of Taikoo Station, and they were questioned as "execution-style" shooting. At the regular police press conference on August 12, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) Mak Chin-ho said that pepper balls are not lethal weapons, emphasizing that the police have strict regulations on the use of force, and will check the launch distance of pepper balls. At the regular police press conference on August 19, some media requested to disclose information such as the firing range and safe shooting distance of the pepper ball gun. Police Superintendent Fang Zhijian of the Police Operations Department pointed out that disclosing the effective use distance of the weapon would affect tactics and operational arrangements. The distance used at that time was safe and in line with the guidelines. "Check the manufacturer's guidelines to confirm that the distance at which my colleague fired pepper balls was a safe distance." When asked about the firing distance at that time, he said, "See from different clips. It's about one to two meters away."

The fax agency has observed the demonstration site many times. The pepper ball gun used by the Athlon team has the words "TIPPMANN" on the front of the gun and the words "PepperBall" on the back. Looking through the online profiles of TacticalTech, LLC, an approved distributor of airsoft gun manufacturer Tippmann, the Pepperball SX is the Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Basic, with the same parts. The pepper ball gun used by the police at Tai Koo MTR station that night was a Tippmann 98 Custom Platinum Basic. The reporter found the manufacturer's guidelines for the use of this type of air gun, stating that the gun uses compressed air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide to fire bullets with a range of more than 45 meters; the safety warning in the guidelines states that you should avoid shooting within 6 feet (about 1.8 meters). Accidental discharge into the eyes may cause permanent injury or death.

As for whether the shooting distance of Taikoo Station meets the standard of 1.8 meters, a reporter from the Fax Agency checked the scene of the night and found that the Athlon team member with a pepper ball gun rushed into the subway station and tried to pull out one of them who was squeezed into the escalator. protesters, but were unsuccessful. After retreating about three steps, he fired at least 8 rounds of pepper balls at the crowd from right to left. White smoke was emitted from the barrel of the gun and between the crowd. The Athlon player took two steps forward while firing the pepper balls.

The pepper balls used by the police are produced by the American company PepperBall. The model is "LIVE-X". The shape is a red-gray, wave-sized ball. The concentration of PAVA capsaicin contained in "LIVE-X" pepper balls is ten times that of another red and white "LIVE" pepper ball produced by the same company. PAVA capsaicin is similar to the irritant substance of pepper spray, causing a burning sensation in the skin and respiratory tract.

In addition, during the dispersal operation at the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station on August 11, a woman was suspected of being injured in the eye by a police officer shooting a beanbag gun nearby. Several reporters at the scene photographed the woman still wearing a hood when she fell to the ground. There is a sack bomb that is similar in shape to the 2581 12GA Super Sock Bean Bag stuck on the eyecup.

The Hong Kong police used a Remington 870 shotgun to fire beanbag rounds with a model of 2581 12GA Super Sock Bean Bag, produced by Combined Tactical Systems in the United States. Manufacturers' guidelines state that the bullet is aerodynamically designed to hit the target with great accuracy and has a range of 25 meters, which can cause serious injury or death if fired at the head, neck, chest, heart or spine.

Since the protests in January, at least four journalists have been hit in the head by rubber bullets, pepper balls or tear gas fired by the police. Among them, Stephen McDonell, the BBC correspondent in China, said that the bullet fired by the police on August 5 (he estimated that it was a tear gas canister) or rubber bullets) hit the mask directly, causing the mask to be damaged and need to be replaced on the spot. The model of the tear gas shell seen at the scene was MP-6M5-CS. This 37mm caliber 5-warhead tear gas shell was produced by NonLethal Technologies of the United States. The manufacturer stated that it should not be shot directly at people, otherwise serious injury or death would result. The 3-warhead rubber bullets also fired by the Fadrüh anti-riot gun were MP-4-R3. The same manufacturer also stated in the specifications that they should not be fired at close range, otherwise serious injury or death would be caused.

In addition, the police also repeatedly fired rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, sponge rounds or tear gas in the downtown area during the clearing operation. On the evening of Sunday (25th), a member of the Athlon team chased a demonstrator outside the Tsuen Cube shopping mall in Tsuen Wan, and fired sponge bombs at the demonstrators while chasing in the downtown area. It can be seen from the footage taken by the editorial committee of CityU that night that when the members of the speed dragon team fired sponge bombs at the demonstrators, there was another person standing on the roadside between the two, and the direction of the camera could not confirm whether there was any other citizens.

The Fax Agency checked the Police Academy's "Basic Police Training Course 09/2017 Revised Edition", which pointed out that according to the section 29-05 of the "Procedural Manual" on "shooting in the downtown area", shooting in the downtown area requires careful evaluation, " It is required that officers must exercise restraint to avoid injuring passers-by. If they may injure passersby, they should not use firearms." "Principle of use of force" in "Police General Regulations" 29-01(3), also expressly stipulates that "in any circumstance , police officers should not use force as a means of punishment or retaliation.”