Still trying to discover the details of what happened March 15th when McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy is reported to have been shot by ricocheting frangible ammunition, I filed a Freedom of Information request asking for its purchase order.
Here’s what I asked for:
“Under the Freedom of Information Act, I request purchase order(s) for the frangible ammunition used on March 15 at the Shooting Range during the SWAT Team training during which Eric Woods was injured.”
Freedom of Information Officer Jan Weech sent the following:
“The document attached is a copy of a quote we received for the Ammunition that we ordered and received. This Ammunition was the supply that was used at our Range on the date that you requested.”
Take a look at what was purchased from International Cartridge Corporation, based in Reynoldsville,
PA.:
I’ve copied the “Quotation” document in three parts. Click on any image and it will enlarge enough for you to be able to read it.
The firm has a web site. You see the top below:
The top of the front page of International Cartridge Corporation's web site.
The second paragraph of the introduction, most of which you can see at the bottom of the screen above, says,
“Conventional ammunition has a significant hazard associated with close range fire, ricochet and over penetration. The International Cartridge Corporation’s round has controlled fragmentation characteristics while maintaining lethal penetrating capabilities. This unique performance reduces hazard for the shooter without compromising firepower.” (Emphasis added.]
There are videos. Here’s a ten-second one entitled “Highspeed Video” that shows what happens to a frangible bullet when it hits something. It breaks apart.
Frangible bullet at eight second mark in the short video.
There’s a longer one which shows the dust left after frangible bullets are shot.
A man pours dust created after frangible ammunition shot into a four-sided target area from one hand to another. It reminds me of the sand in an hour glass.
The video shows a man hammering a bullet. It turns to dust.
Dust remains on the surface after this frangible bullet was hit by a hammer.
It promotes the lack of fragmentation.
An opening title in the longer (about six minute) video entitled introduction.
And the lack of ricocheting. Actually, the description of the ammunition is “NO RICOCHET.”
The video promotes no ricocheting.
“Standard jacketed ammunition will ricochet and has inherent danger (pictured to the right). Due to the characteristics of ICC frangible ammunition, hazards are reduced and in most situations, eliminated completely.”
"Offering Controlled Fragmentiion" is the title under this section of the video.
There’s a pledge of “Reduced Hazard.”
"Reduced Hazard" is the message under this section of the longer video.
I can't tell whether this man is wearing a protective vest or not as he approaches the target. Note the smaller steel targte resembles the one on the McHenry County shooting range from which bullets are said to have ricocheted into Eric Woods leg, hand, arm and face.
There is no lead in these frangible bullets.
If this frangible ammunition were being used, there should have been no lead fragments removed from Eric Woods at the Woodstock hospital or during the next hospital visit in McHenry.
Training is simulated in a shooting range with steel targets.
Steel plate SWAT training is shown.
And, there’s a section which shows men entering a room for SWAT team practice.
Two men enter the room in one demonstration. See part starting at 4 minutes and fifty seconds into the long video.
The first man to enter engages the closet target, which just happens to be low, similar, even though a bit higher, to what those at the McHenry County shooting range described after Deputy Eric Woods was injured by ricocheting bullet fragments.
The first man in the room shoots at the closet target. It is relatively low, on top of a steel drum, and can be seen to the right in this frame of the long video.
The first man in the room hits the low target on the barrel.
After hitting the target on the barrel, these men advance farther into the shooting range. The second man aims at the second target sighted.
Just thought you might be interested.
McHenry County Blog obtained the purchase orders through a Freedom of Information Act request and published an article on April 30, 2010.
