Orbital and ocular trauma caused by the Flash-Ball®: A case report

Severe craniocerebral trauma with sequelae caused by Flash-Ball® shot, a less-lethal weapon: Report of one case and review of the literature

“…[8][9][10] Non-lethal technologies are designed to incapacitate and neutralise dangerous, aggressive, violent individuals or groups in civil or war contexts rather than to induce fatal or serious injuries. 1,11 Temporarily incapacitating the target makes these weapons attractive for police forces and also for self-defence in many countries where non-lethal weapons are not subject to ownership restrictions as severe as for other arms. 12 Less-lethal technology is based on the delivery of kinetic energy (Flash-Ball Õ , Punch Õ , bean bag and Flexible baton Õ , Fiocchi Anticrime cartridge Õ and rubber stinger grenade), chemical energy (pepper spray) or electromagnetic energy (electroshock weapon Taser Õ ), and weapons are numerous according to the type of guns and projectile available.…”

“…12 Less-lethal technology is based on the delivery of kinetic energy (Flash-Ball Õ , Punch Õ , bean bag and Flexible baton Õ , Fiocchi Anticrime cartridge Õ and rubber stinger grenade), chemical energy (pepper spray) or electromagnetic energy (electroshock weapon Taser Õ ), and weapons are numerous according to the type of guns and projectile available. 1,13 In France, two versions of Flash-Ball Õ are produced: one with vertically stacked barrels made from metal alloys with large rubber balls, rubber buckshot and balls with colouring or irritating chemicals designed to burst on impact; and one made from lighter composite materials with the two barrels side by side with non-metallic ammunitions. While this type of weapon delivers a blunt impact without causing penetrating injuries, the increasing use of rubber bullets has led to an increase of cases described in the literature.…”

“…The Flash-Ball Õ is a less-lethal handgun used since 1995 by several special units of the French police Groupe d'Intervention de la Police Nationale, Brigade Anti Criminalite´, Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion and some police forces. 1 Developed by a French arms manufacturer, this lesslethal weapon is designed to incapacitate and neutralise dangerous individuals and to disperse riot crowds rather than to induce serious or fatal injuries. 2,3 Its efficacy is based on a deterrent value, its detonation and its capacity to produce an effect equivalent to a technical knockout without skin penetration thanks to large rubber bullets with kinetic energies around 200 J.…”

Commotio cordis as a result of neutralization shot with the Flash Ball™ less-lethal weapon

“…The kinetic energy of the rubber ball is indicated to be 200 J at a distance of 7 m and achieves the same effect as an uppercut of a champion boxer. The relatively low risk of this less-lethal weapon has already been questioned [3,4]. Indeed, few publications are available on injuries caused by this device.…”

Assessment of head injury risk caused by impact using finite element models

“…Since its incorporation, this rubber projectile has led to different injury scenarios [268,[273][274][275]. In a case report of 2006, Wahl et al [268] highlighted the lack of information provided by the manufacturer of this weapon regarding its characteristics and ballistics and later, Hiquet et al(2016) [273] suggested that a FlashBall ® impact could lead to severe lesions when fired at a distance lower than 10m.…”