Kinetic Projectile Injuries Treated During Civil Protests in Los Angeles: A Case Series.

Rachel Pearl,Sam Torbati,Joel Geiderman

doi:10.5811/cpcem.2021.7.52885

Rachel Pearl, Sam Torbati + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2021.7.52885

Copy DOI

Abstract

IntroductionDuring protests following the death of George Floyd, kinetic impact projectiles (KIP) were used by law enforcement as a method of crowd control. We describe the injuries seen at a single Level 1 trauma center in Los Angeles over a two-day period of protests to add to the collective understanding of the public health ramifications of crowd-control weapons used in the setting of protests.Case SeriesWe reviewed the emergency department visits of 14 patients who presented to our facility due to injuries sustained from KIPs over a 48-hour period during civil protests after the death of George Floyd.ConclusionLess lethal weapons can cause significant injuries and may not be appropriate for the purposes of crowd control, especially when used outside of established guidelines.

Highlights

During protests following the death of George Floyd, kinetic impact projectiles (KIP) were used by law enforcement as a method of crowd control
We describe the injuries seen at a single Level 1 trauma center in Los Angeles over a two-day period of protests to add to the collective understanding of the public health ramifications of crowd-control weapons used in the setting of protests
Case Series: We reviewed the emergency department visits of 14 patients who presented to our facility due to injuries sustained from KIPs over a 48-hour period during civil protests after the death of George Floyd

Summary

Introduction

During protests following the death of George Floyd, kinetic impact projectiles (KIP) were used by law enforcement as a method of crowd control. We describe the injuries seen at a single Level 1 trauma center in Los Angeles over a two-day period of protests to add to the collective understanding of the public health ramifications of crowd-control weapons used in the setting of protests. Case Series: We reviewed the emergency department visits of 14 patients who presented to our facility due to injuries sustained from KIPs over a 48-hour period during civil protests after the death of George Floyd

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

DISCUSSION

Findings

LIMITATIONS

CONCLUSION