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

The use of Flash-Ball® as a non-lethal weapon by several special units within the police and police forces started in France in 1995. Little literature is available concerning injuries caused by Flash-Ball® shooting. However, we report the case of a healthy 34-year-old male victim of a Flash-Ball® shooting during a riot following a sports event. This young man presented serious craniocerebral injuries with a left temporal fracture, moderate cerebral oedema, fronto-temporal haemorrhagic contusion along with an extra-dural hematoma and subarachnoid hemorrhage requiring neurological and rehabilitation care for two months leaving important sequelae. Although the risk is obviously lower than with firearms, Flash-Ball® is nonetheless potentially lethal and may cause serious physical injuries, particularly after a shot to the head.