WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2020) Law enforcement's use of beanbag munitions against protesters can cause serious injuries such as hemorrhages and skull fractures, a group of doctors said in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Although our report reflects the experience at only one center during a short period and we cannot determine the frequency of injuries when these munitions are used, these findings highlight the fact that beanbag munitions can cause serious harm and are not appropriate for use in crowd control," the letter, co-signed by a dozen doctors in Texas, said on Friday.
The letter said the doctors treated 19 patients at a trauma center in the city of Austin after they sustained beanbag injuries while participating in protests.
The letter said four patients had bleeding in the brain and one other patient had a partial skull fracture with some bleeding in the brain as well.
Many cities across the United States have been hit by a wave protests that have continued for more than two months following the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. However, the protests turned into riots complete with violence against police and civilians as well as acts of vandalism, arson and looting.
