Gunshot Wounds

Gunshot Wounds

Introduction

Guns are the most frequently used weapons in murders, and firearms account for more than half of the slayings today. Forensic scientists have consequently put a substantial amount of work into the study of how to interpret gunshot wounds, in an effort to determine precisely how and when a specific crime took place. The examination of gunshot wounds has been performed in thousands of cases, and has often been the deciding factor in the prosecution or exoneration of the accused.

Discussion

Gunshot wounds can be either penetrating or perforating. In a penetrating wound, the bullet enters an object and remains inside, while in a perforating wound, the bullet passes completely through the object. In some cases, the wound can be both penetrating and perforating, in that it penetrates some part of the body, such as the head, but perforates certain parts, such as the skull or brain. In a perforating wound, the bullet creates an exit wound as it escapes the body. An exit wound differs greatly from an entrance wound (Eckhert et al, 1998). An entrance wound is surrounded by a reddish-brown area of abraded skin, known as the abrasion ring, and small amounts of blood escape through. An exit wound, on the other hand, is larger and more irregular, with extruding tissue and no abrasion ring. There is far more blood that escapes an exit wound, and it can possibly be profuse. After the bullet enters through the skin, the skin retracts due to its elasticity. This will make the wound appear smaller than the bullet that has passed through. The bullet usually travels in a straight line, but its direction is unpredictable if it hits a bone. When this occurs, the bone may be shattered or the bullet may deflect and be sent to another area of the body (Bailey, Lee, and Rothblatt, 1973.

Determining the Distance of the Shooter from the Victim

Examination of the gunshot wound can help determine many factors involved in the shooting, including the distance of the shooter from the victim. Gunshot wounds can be classified based on the range from the muzzle of the gun to the target. These classifications include contact, near-contact, intermediate, and distant wounds (Marcus et al, 1980).

In near-contact wounds, the muzzle is not in contact with the skin, but is very close. In this case, the powder grains do not have a chance to disperse and leave a powder tattooing. The entrance wound is surrounded by a wide zone of powder soot, and seared, blackened skin. In intermediate-range wounds, the muzzle is held away from the skin but close enough that it still produces powder tattooing. This type of wound is also characterized by numerous reddish-brown to orange-red lesions around the entrance to the wound. Finally, distant gunshot wounds leave no marks other than those produced by the bullet perforating the skin (Swan, 1980).

The type of gun used in the shooting can usually be determined by examining the gunshot wound. The shotgun, particularly the 12-gauge, is the most ...