Thread: Border agents to use paintball guns to fend off attackers

Border agents to use paintball guns to fend off attackers

More Tucson and Phoenix Local News

02:12 PM Mountain Standard Time on Thursday, April 24, 2008

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Border Patrol invests in paintball guns

VOTE: Will it work?

TUCSON - Some surprising news came from the United States Border Patrol.

The Patrol has purchased 1,000 guns that fire non-lethal paintball or pepper pellets. The goal of a target practice session was to hit the white rag at the end of a hall with paintballs. Border Patrol agents may soon use paintballs to defend themselves against smugglers along the border due to an increase in violence.

Surveillance video from an incident last year in El Paso shows a Border Patrol agent retreating after people pelt him with rocks. Some could argue the same about being hit by a paintball without protective gear, where a projectile from a paintball gun leaves a small welt on the flesh.

Small welt or not, human rights activists say it is a bad idea, even for a line of defense.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/homepageto ... 72b2d.html

It would be nice if the paint glowed in the dark. They could find them real easy.

A welt in the arm? That is akin to being hit with a rock and maybe a flaming rock at that? Good grief. Give us some human rights.

Who came up with this "bright" idea? What are the attackers gonna do? "Ooooohh he's got a paint gun, don't shoot him!"? You fight fire with fire, not paint!

If they used some sort of permanent dye/paint, it would help identify them if they elude the border patrol. Of course on the other side of the border the authorities will just get a little giggle and tell them to try harder next time. If they stay on this side, though, they would be stained for a good couple days..

The Patrol has purchased 1,000 guns that fire non-lethal paintball or pepper pellets. The goal of a target practice session was to hit the white rag at the end of a hall with paintballs. Border Patrol agents may soon use paintballs to defend themselves against smugglers along the border due to an increase in violence.

So there's an increase in violence from dangerous drug cartels and smugglers along the border, of which some of these dangerous criminals have more fire power than some military units ; and what does the powers that be decide to do.

They hand border patrol agents paint ball guns!

Why just don't they come out and admit that deadly force is forbidden to be used against illegals and dangerous smugglers from Mexico that cross our borders on a daliy basis.

A BB gun might work better. I hear those things HURT. Paint ball is lame. Give our border patrol some more REAL guns.

Why not use cap guns and little skirt guns? Make the job as dangerous and pathetic as possible for the Border Patrol agents.

Why not have border patrol wear day-glo pink uniforms with targets on them with signs taped to their backs titled "kick me".


This is absurd - a border patrol needs to have more force than the illegals.

Here's a better idea: build a wall, then they won't need guns!!!

Border Patrol has firearms, let's not forget our fellow Americans who are in prison because a certain drug smuggler was shot in the butt... I think the idea of paint guns is to handle lower threat situations (a band of illegals throwing rocks, etc.), I'm sure they will still have their firearms for higher threat situations.

The National Guard on the other hand are pretty much ordered to run.

The National Guard on the other hand are pretty much ordered to run.

Geeze what a waste! How wimpy that must make us look.