Miami Beach cops switch to less lethal beanbag shotguns

MIAMI BEACH — Miami Beach cops are ditching their old school shotguns for ones that fire beanbags instead of bullets.

The new 12-gauge shotguns shoot beanbag rounds filled with lead shot and are designed to stop suspects in their tracks, not to kill, the Miami Herald reported.

Each round weighs about 40 grams, the same as a medium-sized egg.

Beanbag shotguns have an ideal range of 20 to 75 feet, which will help cops maintain greater distance from suspects than they can with a Taser. Tasers typically have a range of up to 12 feet.

Miami Beach cops plan to use the new shotguns in situations where a suspect is emotionally disturbed or dangerous and a threat to himself or others.

The move to replace old shotguns with a less lethal version comes amid several high-profile deaths of suspects killed by police officers.

Although beanbag shotguns are less lethal, they can still cause severe injuries or fatalities, so officers will undergo six weeks of training to learn how to use them.