As you said ... it’s not “devastating”. ;-)
"Devastating" is a ballistics forensics buzzword. If you read forensics reports they frequently characterize any gunshot wound as "devastating". The closest I can come to a definition of "devastating" in this context is "a large irregular wound that may result in serious complications up to and including death if not immediately treated." It is very subjective.
In this example, it is a scare word with no purpose other than to provoke an emotional response.