Looks like the Department of Homeland Security is responding that border officers also have plenty of lethal firepower available to them:
“When the suspected aliens did not drop their weapons, two Border Patrol Agents deployed ‘less than lethal’ bean bags at the suspected aliens,” Hunter wrote. “At this time, at least one of the suspected aliens fired at the Border Patrol Agents,” striking Terry, Hunter wrote.
The question would be what are the protocols? To me, once the officers noticed that the suspects were carrying rifles, bean bags should have been off the table. No one carries a rifle unless they are anticipating trouble. At that point, they should have been ready to return rifle fire as soon as they announced police presence to the suspects. That they were not is either a problem with training or protocol. Simply saying they had lethal options available to them tells us nothing of what they were trained to do in this situation. That’s the question that needs to be answered.
So its dark, your armed, and you have just been surprised by unidentified people claiming to be police, who then start shooting first… how are the criminals supposed to know its beanbags and not regular ammo being fired at them? If they know the police aren’t allowed to just start shooting, it would be pretty reasonable to think that these people are not actual police. Either way they are firing at you, and the only sane response would be to fire back… which surprise surprise, is exactly what happened.
It seems like this is a reoccurring problem with less then lethal options, they are supposed to be a substitute for lethal force, but are instead being used proactively long before lethal force would be justified. Instead of using extended verbal commands to achieve compliance, yell once or twice and out comes the taser…
Quite. If shot at, I’m going to shoot back, not stand there contemplating whether the projectiles were beanbags.
“Sir! You missed me, but in the interest of understanding what will happen if you don’t, could you please tell me if you’re using nonlethal beanbags or lethal buckshot? I’d like to know whether to expect bruising or bleedout.” Not.
Given that previously two border patrol agents shot a drug runner following protocol, reported the incident according to protocol and testimony, got convicted of not following protocol and sent to prison, wtf do you think the protocol is?