Object

Attackers' 9mm Beretta

Ron Butterfield leans in, voice steady amid hospital shadows, pinpointing the attackers' 9mm Beretta—a compact pistol gripped in chaos, its rounds punching through but falling short of carnage. Mismatched for mass killing alongside the .357 Desert Eagle, it spares lives, bullets whispering instead of roaring, as Bartlet, Abbey, Zoey, and Charlie absorb the merciful mismatch in stunned silence.

1 appearances

Purpose

Discharges 9mm projectiles to wound or kill targets during assassination attempt, though underpowered for high-casualty assault.

Significance

Anchors Ron Butterfield's briefing, unraveling the attack's puzzle: limited injuries expose flawed intent, pivot target from Bartlet to Zoey, igniting Charlie's shock and reframing hate's volatile shadow over the presidency.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S2E2 · In the Shadow of Two Gunmen Part 2

President Not the Intended Target

Ron names the 9mm Beretta as one attacker's weapon, central to briefing explaining its inadequacy for mass casualties alongside the Desert Eagle, shifting narrative from potential slaughter to merciful mismatch, anchoring relief in specifics.

Before: Recovered by Secret Service from attackers

After: In custody as evidence, referenced in hospital intel

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