Glad to see this, but really isn't anything new. Coast Guard has been shooting drug boats since the 1980's. Friend of mine that was a Coasty, as he liked to call himself, was actually stationed in Detroit in the early 70's, and they were working with the Detroit PD to patrol the Detroit river for drug smugglers coming over from Canada. Only run in he had, he was working with DPD one night, and they caught sight of a small boat coming across the river with no running lights on. Old warehouse district from what my buddy Mike said. They hid behind some trash dumpsters, and when they got off the pier and onto a sidewalk, and confronted them. Mike, not actually having any serious police training, had his 1911 out, gun at about 7 o'clock position, touched one off right in front of the smugglers. Needless to say, they all hit the pavement and surrendered. DPD officers told him that might not have been necessary, but thanked him anyway. Next day, when he asked his CO what he should put in his report, he told him. 1 shot fired for training exercise. Probably would be court martialed today if that would happen.
