Gunshot Wound

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS ON BULLETS

1. Souvenir Bullet- lodged and remained in the body

2. Bullet Migration- not lodged in a place where it was previously located

Bullets Embolism- carried by circulating blood to some parts of the body

3. Tandem Bullet- two or more bullets leaving the barrel one after another

1. Complete DESCRIPTION of the wound2. LOCATION

a) Part of the bodyb) Distance from the mid-linec) Distance from the heel or buttock

3. DIRECTION and LENGTH of bullet tract4. ORGANS or TISSUES INVOLVED5. LOCATION of missile if lodged;6. DIAGRAM, PHOTOGRAPH, SKETCH or

DRAWING

PHYSICIAN’S REPORT

TO ANSWER IN COURT1. Could the weapon inflict the wound?2. What Range?3. DIRECTION of the fire.4. Possibility that the wound is self inflicted.5. Signs of struggle.6. Resistance after the injury.7. Died instantaneously.8. Relative positions of the involved

1. Odor of the gas inside the barrel2. Chemical changes inside the

barrel3. Evidences that may be deduced

from the wound

LENGTH OF TIME fa HAD BEEN FIRED

Can the direction of the shot be determined from the direction from which the shot came from? Not possible

Can the firearm be identified by the sound of the discharge? Impossible. Accustomed-may be

1. Location of the empty shells- driven out/inside cylindrical chamber

2. Nature of the spent bullet- copper jacketed/no such coating (not true in all cases)

3. Nature of the base of the cartridge or spent shell- no difference/ wider diameter than that of the cylindrical body

AUTOMATIC PISTOLS VERSUS REVOLVER

1. Location and extraction of the bullet;

2. Reveal fragmentation and their location

3. Show bone involvement4. Reveal trajectory5. Show the effects of the

bullet wound

X-ray examinations

• Shoulder-fired• Smooth barrel• One or more round balls or

pellets

SHOTGUN

CLASSES OF SHOT• Bird shot- 0.05 to 0.15 “

diameter, from 200 to 400 shots• Buckshot- 0.24 to 0.33 “ in

diameter, fewer shots. 12 gauge- 9 shots

• Single projectile- single shot or slug

• LETHAL RANGE- an area of 35 to 40 “ in diameter at 30 to 40 yards

Shotgun wounds

• Contact wounds of chest & abdomen– Circular in

configuration

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Shotgun wounds Contact to 2 ft

› Circular

› ¾ - 1 inch diameter

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Shotgun wounds

3ft › Scalloped margins

due to separating

pellets

• 4 ft– 1 inch diameter– Scattered satellite

pellet holes

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• Approx. 10 ft– Ragged

central hole surrounded by numerous pellet holes

Shotgun wounds

Shotgun wounds

Beyond 10 ft› Multiple pellet

holes

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Shot gun

PNP Crime Lab

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Shot gun

•Measure the distance between the two farthest shot (pellets) in inches and subtract one , the number thus obtained will give the muzzle-target distance in yards.

• The character of the wound and the degree of dispersal is influenced by the muzzle-target distance, gauge of the shotgun, degree of choke and the type of ammunition.

•A close shot produces more serious injuries because the shots are concentrated on a specific target and because of greater kinetic energy of the pellets.

DETERMINATION OF THE PRESENCE OF GUNPOWDER COMPONENTS AND

PRIMER COMPONENTS

Importance of determining the Gunpowder on the Skin :

1. Determination of the distance of the gun muzzle from the victim’s body when fired 2. Determining whether a person has fired a firearm

Tests for the Presence of Powder Residues

1.On the Skin (Dorsum of the Hand or Site of the Wound of Entrance)

a) Dermal Nitrate ( Paraffin test,

Diphenylamine test,Lung’s Test or Gonzales Test

2.On Clothings (esp Colored Ones) Walker’s Test ( C acid , H acid test)

FIREARM IDENTIFICATIONThe following factors must be utilized in the identification of the firearm used in the commission of crime:

1. Caliber of the Weapon2. Fingerprints 3. Fouling of the Barrel4. Serial Number5. Ballistics Examination- firearm identification

Ballistics May Be Subdivided into Three Separate and Distinct Area of Study

1)Interior Ballistics

2) Exterior Ballistics

3) Terminal Ballistics Medical Ballistics

Basic Principles Involved in Firearm Identification

1) The quality of metal is very much harder and resistant to deformity as compared with the quality of metal used in the manufacture of the cartridge- part of the gun can easily be impressed on the shell or bullet.

2) Certain physical characteristics of certain type of caliber which differentiate it from others of different manufacturer.

3) No two firearms can be manufactured with identical surface characteristics. This is referred to as individual characteristics.

Instruments used in Firearm Identification

1)Comparison Microscope 2)Bullet Recovery Box 3)Hand Lens4) Sharp pointed instrument for scraping I.D. marks5) Caliper6) Analytical Balance

Types of Marking on the Examination through the Comparison Microscope

4)Impression Type Mark ( Stamp Mark) 5)Striation or Serration mark

MARKS FOUND IN THE SHELL

1)Of the Firing pin2)From the extractor3)Of the ejector4)From the breechblock5)On the cylindrical surface of the shell

MARKS FOUND IN THE BULLET

6)Number of Lands and Grooves7)Direction of the twist of the rifling marks

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