[monday]

"That being said, at a velocity of 300-380 FPS, I can easily see a paintball penetrating the eye."

Why is it necessary for the velocity to be so high? Pepper spray is very effective at any velocity. Seems to me they would only have to be delivered fast enough to burst on impact. Perhaps 50 FPS? 300-380 FPS makes it appear that the police intention was to cause injuries similar to those caused by rubber bullets.

Perhaps crowd control isn't satisfying for police unless there is a chance of permanent injury or death for rioters?

[Vigilantcitizen]

Why is it necessary for the velocity to be so high? Pepper spray is very effective at any velocity. Seems to me they would only have to be delivered fast enough to burst on impact. Perhaps 50 FPS? 300-380 FPS makes it appear that the police intention was to cause injuries similar to those caused by rubber bullets.

Speculation...but pepperpaintballs have a harder shell than regular paintballs do, mainly due to the filler having a solid in it(Pepper), rather than being all liquid. If a paintball has too soft a shell, it will bust in the barrel.

Looks like Boston police are asking the same question.