# Shooting suicide bombers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194 "2005-07-26T11:22:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/1 "2005-07-26T11:22:29Z")
In light of recent events in London and vague memories of an episode of Millenium, I’m reminded there’s a certain point on the spinal column that a sniper is supposed to aim for to ensure that a human is killed but doesn’t go into some sort of muscle spasm. Any truth to this? And where do you aim for? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/2 "2005-07-26T11:25:12Z")
The articles I read about the London shooting indicated that the police had learned from the Israelis that only multiple head shots ensure that the bomber cannot trigger his/her device. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/3 "2005-07-26T11:31:08Z")
One article had this : Former London police chief John Stevens defended the policy. “I sent teams to Israel and other countries hit by suicide bombers where we learned a terrible truth,” Mr Stevens wrote in a British newspaper. "There is only one sure way to stop a suicide bomber – destroy his brain instantly, utterly. “That means shooting him with devastating power in the head, killing him immediately.” [here](http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,16036064%255E663,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/4 "2005-07-26T14:43:16Z")
Is it also true that body shots would potentially set off the explosive? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/5 "2005-07-26T15:09:48Z")
I do recall in the early Spielberg movie _Sugarland Express_ that there is a reference to the sniper having a clear shot at the guy they wish to kill and I think he makes reference to having a bead on the medulla. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/6 "2005-07-26T15:53:55Z")
I was listening to NPR the other day when they were interviewing British Police and Anti-terrorism officials. One of the things that they mentioned was that terrorist tactics had prompted British Police to train with Israeli Police and to adopt some of their tactics, which in turn adds fuel to the terrorist fire. Talk about your Catch-22. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/7 "2005-07-26T15:55:47Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > I do recall in the early Spielberg movie _Sugarland Express_ that there is a reference to the sniper having a clear shot at the guy they wish to kill and I think he makes reference to having a bead on the medulla. Was that the same scene showing the sniper storing his kill round in his ear so that the wax would help the shot? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-suicide-bombers/314194/8 "2005-07-26T16:28:25Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Is it also true that body shots would potentially set off the explosive? If the bomber were wearing a vest loaded with explosives, yes, there’s a chance a bullet could hit a blasting cap or otherwise set of an explosion.