McComb police Detective Kyle Brady knelt down and aimed an AR-15 at the driver’s side door of a junked Hyundai Elantra at the police firing range Tuesday morning and fired off a barrage of bullets, some of which ended up in the driver’s seat while others passed through the passenger door.
It was all part of a demonstration as he and other officers showcased various firearms to show how different caliber rounds can penetrate various items, and the difference between the ammunition that police use compared to what’s available to civilians.
“The impact of showing these weapons, how they operate and what they do, is to show that we need these things, but they can have a big impact on the community around us,” Lt. Kayla Moore said. “The bullets can go through vehicles, doors and things of that nature, so in the wrong hands, it can be a bad thing. In the right hands, with the right training, we can make things better.”
Police Chief Juan Cloy had officers shoot items such as 2x4 boards, doors, steel plates and vehicles with 9mm handguns and AR-15 rifles, using both law enforcement ammunition and civilian ammunition, and then showing the difference.
Gun violence across Pike County and the city of McComb has been a hot topic, with residents asking why so many people can easily get their hands on guns, while asking government officials try to figure out how to respond to the violence.
“Every day we put on our uniforms, we want to feel safe, but every person that I interact with, I automatically assume they have some type of weapon on them, from young teens to adults,” Moore said.
Moore noted a few reasons how guns such as the AR-15 rifle are getting into the hands of criminals, with swap meets and theft being two ways it happens.
“It is easy for them to fall into the wrong hands, because you can go to a swap meet to trade with people. Or you can get them off the street like some do,” she said.
“If you’re not safe and don’t carry weapons inside, like if you stay at a hotel, they can be stolen out of the parking lot. Don’t leave your weapons inside of your vehicle.”
Moore dinged a steel plate from more than 15 yards, then took aim at a Level 3 protective vest like the ones officers wear. While the 9mm police round did not penetrate the plate or go through the vest, it left a distinguished mark that an officer would feel.
Officers also shot at a 2x4, which both the 9mm pistol and AR-15 that was equipped with .556 rounds pierced, then moved to the nearby vehicle, with both firearms going through the driver’s door and exiting the passenger side door.
The most notable difference between the law enforcement’s ammunition and civilian ammunition is the officers’ ammo stopped sooner because it is designed to fragment on impact, whereas civilian ammo stays intact and penetrates more materials — including vehicles and houses.
“As law enforcement, we try to see past a target. We try to think of the community and follow rules that, unfortunately, some of the civilian world does not follow,” Moore said. “When we do training like we did today, we think about what is behind our target, therefore, we find every means available to stop the round from going through things so it doesn’t reach someone that it isn’t supposed to.”
That’s not always the case when gunfire erupts on city streets, she noted.
“Most of our homes in McComb are made of wood. Very few are brick. You saw that the bullet went through three pieces of wood. Manufacturers don’t think about that when building homes,” she said.
Cpl. Tyler Harvey, who was recently hit by a bullet and received minor injuries in an exchange of gunfire that killed Summit police officer Troy Floyd, said it’s common to see bullets go through cars, houses and other objects when investigating shootings.
“We see a lot of overpenetration with the rounds that are being used,” he said. “A lot of them are target rounds or full metal jacket rounds, which tend to go straight through whatever they hit. It can be extremely deadly.”
Officers go to the range monthly, with some officers practicing weekly. Harvey stated that the training academy that he went through totaled 14 weeks.
“Everything starts at your basic training academy, where they teach you safety,” he said. “It starts with officer and public safety, with how you address someone that has a firearm and how to properly obtain that from them to make sure it is a safe situation.”
Moore urged residents to not only properly train to use their firearm if they choose to own one but to also properly store the gun.
“If you have weapons in your home, have a gun safe or a secure place outside of the reach of children or teenagers,” she said. “Teach your kids gun safety, what the gun is and how to use it. That is important.”
Both Harvey and Moore added that while there are people who get their hands on firearms for ill will, they understand most do not.
“I think that if you are using a firearm for the right purposes or protection, then it is your right to have one,” Moore said.
“If they are not in the hands of a lawful citizen with good intentions, then they don’t need to be on the street at all,” Harvey said.
