sheriff henry k. martin ordered the police officers to change out their ammunition from buckshot to birdshot to disperse the crowd without fatalities. police warned the demonstrators they would fire on them if they did not disperse voluntarily; few heeded the warning. at 10:20 a.m., lieutenant charles warren stabbed one of the protesters in the back with a bayonet. the police then opened fire for five minutes on the crowd with birdshot, and with buckshot from police officers who failed to hear the orders. at least 16 rounds of ammunition were fired, and at least 50 people were shot, including two women and two children.