Bullets & body armor: The escalation of protection for police officers

Accused police officer killer John Felix allegedly used a stolen rifle to kill two Palm Springs officers and injure a third. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office said Felix opened fire from 10 feet away, through a metal screen door, using armor-piercing ammunition. The DA would not confirm specifics on the ammunition, saying investigators want to hold back some information prosecutors will use at trial. “I cannot give any information that would affect our ability to give a fair trial to the defendant in this case,” said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin at a press conference held shortly after the shooting. But KESQ and CBS Local 2’s Joe Galli talked with gun industry experts about what kind of bullets Felix probably used. Those experts say there’s a very good chance it would be 62 Grain 5.56 green tip rifle ammunition, and here’s why. These bullets are some of the most popular rifle ammunition sold in the country. A local gun store, which didn’t want us to use its name in this story, confirmed these bullets make up about 40 percent of all bullets it sells.
The green tip on these bullets indicates the material in the bullet itself is a mixture of lead and another, harder metal like steel. It’s the harder material that makes the bullet more effective to go through tougher targets like body armor. Though these bullets aren’t technically classified as armor piercing, such as a black tip .30-06 bullet with a full steel core, they are still deadly and travel at more than 3,000 feet per second. We asked people and leaders in law enforcement if they thought gun owners should be allowed access to these types of bullets, getting mixed reactions. “I think the whole situation with guns in the U.S. is out of control and there doesn’t appear to be any control over who can buy them or how they get to use them or where they buy bullets. I just think it should be banned completely,” said Kevan Ridgway of Palm Springs. “I think it is important to bear arms and have that right. I’m not a gun freak, but lots of people died to have that right. I think any time you allow a country where [the government] can push you around, it’s the nature of people to that,” said Kenny Keebaugh of Palm Springs. “What is the point of having that armor-piercing ammunition? It is one reason and one reason only, and it is aggression. And it is not for self-defense,” said Dale Mondary, chief of the Desert Hot Springs Police Department. A person over the age of 21 can go into most local gun and sporting goods stores and buy green tip 5.56 ammunition. A box of 20 rounds will cost about $10. If Proposition 63 passes, there could be extra steps added to that transaction. Prop 63 would require people to pass a background check and get a permit before buying bullets, along with other gun-control measures. Some people in law enforcement told us they’re torn on this issue. “I have some concerns about it. I don’t care for too much government intrusion in our life. But it would be a good mechanism for us to help track situations so that we can get sentencing enhancements,” said Mondary. With the rise in criminals using rifles instead of handguns, especially during mass shootings, Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff is giving deputies the opportunity to add another stronger layer of protection. Deputies can now purchase thicker military-grade body armor they could put on before responding to a potentially deadly situations. “We are dealing with suspects now that are interested in going out in a blaze of glory as opposed to negotiating. To keep people from being placed in increased risk now, the officers don’t hold back, they go into the circumstances which puts them more in danger,” Sniff said. The manufacturer specifically designed these plates to stop armor-piercing bullets. , the civilian version 223, or higher calibers on. “The emergency first responders are under a lot of lethal threat from high-velocity rifle fire. Whether it’s 5.56, the civilian version 223, or higher calibers on. We didn’t used to see that in the past and so what you’re seeing is the department reacting to the current threat environment,” Sniff said. Opponents of gun control legislation claim new rules making it difficult for law-abiding citizens to get any type of ammunition they want will not stop criminals, and people looking to kill police officers or get armor-piercing bullets will still find a way to get them. JOE GALLI CAN BE FOUND ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.