Sweeping stun guns to target crowds

New Scientist ^ | 6/16/04 | David Hambling

[My2Cents]

Psst.....Don't tell the Admin. Moderator about this. It sounds like the ultimate "ZOT".

[BenLurkin]

Beat me to it!

[LOC1]

And there are safety concerns. Of the 30,000 times US police officers have fired Tasers, in 40 instances people stunned by them later died. The deaths have been attributed to factors such as overdoses of drugs and alcohol, or fighting with officers, rather than the electric shock.

In a statement, Taser International chief Rick Smith said: "In every single case the medical examiner has attributed the direct cause of death to causes other than the Taser." Amnesty is not convinced, however, and wants an independent study of the effects of all existing and emerging electric-shock weapons.


Hmmmmmm....and 30,000 shots with a hand gun would have resulted in how many deaths? But Amnesty is not convinced.....hmmmmmmm. Must mean they prefer the police have no weapons at all. That makes a lot of sense.

[B4Ranch]

I wonder if they'll sell them to border property owners?

[Unknowing]

Okay, so now we have ray guns. I am still waiting for flying cars!

[rickmichaels]

But human rights groups are appalled by the fact that no independent safety tests have been carried out, and by their potential for indiscriminate use.

Why not try it out at the DNC convention?

[GSlob]

By wearing a chain mail - or, if you are not a reenactor, a metallized or otherwise electroconductive clothing and shoes, and moisturizing your exposed skin with saline solution for the same purpose - your clothing will become your own lightning rod and you will be similarly protected.

[doug from upland]

New York would be a very good place for tests at the end of August and beginning of September.

[Thud]

ping

[Joe 6-pack]

I knew my Y2K tinfoil suit would eventually come in handy...

[lowbridge]

[LibWhacker]

I think they're going to outlaw tinfoil next!

[ExSoldier]

TINFOIL HAT beginning to glow, little propeller on top spinning madly

Yeah this is a perfect device for FEMA to use in the relocation of "detainees" to the camps. Helps keep the sheeple from becoming too resistant to doing the master's bidding, ya know.

[longtermmemmory]

How to counter such a gas emmision, fans, fire extinguishers.

What happens if the wind blows enough of the gas back onto the police?

Seems this would work as a MOAB or Daisy cutter more than a point and shoot.

You could even "mine" protest locations in advance, crowd gets rowdy, ZAP the whole area and pick up the bodies.

Of course the people with pacemakers and unknown heart problems with sue, sue, sue.

[GSlob]

Well, then I'll have to wear old rusty chain mail. No fun at 50 pounds.

[Joe 6-pack]

[RightWhale]

I see. The laser beams in Star Wars didn't do damage, but carried electrical current along the laser beams which did damage. Won't work in a vacuum.

[TalBlack]

Call me pessimistic but as a student of Human Nature I think that when ANYONE gets a weapon that is very forceful and irresistable thay WILL use it because of the unique power it gives them. I've been wondering when it will come along...to date it hasen't arrived yet. But they're out there trying.