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SHOT PLACEMENT:
Most contemporary agencies believe that impact projectiles should be aimed at target areas based on the circumstances presented, and a balance between the need to stop the suspect behavior and the acceptability of the potential injury outcome. Determining where to aim an impact projectile has never been easy, but determining where not to aim has proven to less problematic. In general terms, avoid the chest unless you have no other viable target, and the risk of a fatal outcome is acceptable.
Shot Placement Rule #1: Avoid the chest, unless the need to stop the behavior justifies the risk, and you do not have a more appropriate targeting option available.
Shot Placement Rule #2: Single aiming point “belt-buckle” philosophies are simplistic and easy to train, but create a disproportionate level of risk for smaller stature suspects.
Important Note: As a general rule, the chest is generally a "no go" target, since it has played a role as aiming and/or impact point in most impact projectile fatalities. Likewise, there are times when the need to shoot the chest is present, based on a balance of need to stop behavior and the chest being the only viable target (i.e. man behind a car---visible only from chest up, holding a gun to his head). There are also many cases in which the solar plexus and abdomen are appropriately targeted, again-when a need to stop the behavior is significant enough that the risk of injury (statistically very low) is acceptable.
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*To download this visual chart in PDF format and/or Power Point slides for your less-lethal presentation, please visit the DOWNLOADS section of this website.*
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