"Frightening new breed" of stun gun to be used by police: New Scientist

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2004

PARIS, June 16 (AFP) — Defence firms are about to pitch "a frightening new breed of stun gun" to police in America and Europe that has left human rights groups appalled about the risk to bystanders and people in poor health, New Scientist says.

"No independent safety tests have been carried out" on these new weapons, the British weekly says in its next issue, published on Saturday.

The present generation of electric stun gun is exemplified by the Taser, in use in many US police forces.

It hits the victim with two darts that trail current-carrying wires, which deliver a shock to the target.

But the gun fires a single shot with a range is limited to seven metres (25 feet), which makes it nearly useless for crowd control, especially in hotspots such as...