Less Than Lethal Weapon Proves Lethal Modern police departments have been deploying modified paintball guns like the ones provided by Pepperball, Inc. to help police officers balance the American people's First Amendment right of free assembly against the demands of politicians. The "less than lethal" designation of these weapons was highlighted recently by the shooting death of Victoria Snelgrove, a baseball fan, by Pepperball equipped police near Fenway Park in Boston.