ive also used assault rifles such as the styr the aust army currently uses. very light but not something i would take to war. for a rifle to be truly designated as being an assault rifle it must be capable of firing singly, bursts, or empty the mag with one trigger pull.
when the term is bandied around like it is i am suspicious of the terminology and the party using the term even if it is a cop. and like most rifles for the ar15 to be effective one must aim. i would not believe that anyone could use one obtaining only head shots firing form the hip
the m16 is modelled on the ar15. if the shooter was carrying an m16 then yes he would be carrying an assault rifle.
