This, Sir, did not come from a pellet gun.
Someone insisted that they were using 'shotguns' instead of pellet guns.
This is the first reference to 'pellet guns' (French riots) that I have read. All other references have used the term 'shotgun'.
Shotguns are sometimes referred to as 'pellet guns'--they do shoot pellets. And, keep in mind the possibility of inexact translations and cultural differences in term useage.
Beyond that, it is entirely possible that both 'shotguns' and 'pellet guns' have been used by the rioters.
And while the Malitov Cocktails are lethal weapons in their own right, putting things in perspective, it appears this riot doesn't have much lethal intent against police-- yet.
I'm not so sure about that. A story that I read last night referred to a French police officer recovering an unexploded device...a soda bottle w/ a 'clear liquid' and nails inside. That's not exactly a Molotov cocktail--that's an 'IED'.
This, Sir, did not come from a pellet gun.