FIREARM INJURIES

DR VIVEK KUMARDept. Of FMT, KMCH, Katihar

Science dealing with the investigation of firearms, ammunition and the problem arising from their use.

Forensic Ballistics:

Proximal

Intermediate

Terminal Ballistics

Wound Ballistics

Let’s get the terms cleared…

Let’s get the terms cleared…

•Firearm: Any instrument which discharges a missile by the expansive force of the gases produced by an explosive function.

FIREARM

RIFLED FIRE ARM

SHOT GUNS

Parts of Firearm weapon :

Parts of Firearm weapon :

SHOT GUN :

RIFLED FIREARMS

THESE ARE THE FIREARMS WEAPON, WHICH CAN FIRE BULLETS OR MISSILES.

RIFLING OF A GUN

TO ACHIEVE A GYROSCOPIC MOVEMENT

STRAIGHT COURSE

GREATER POWER OF PENETRATION.

IT COVERS A LONGER RANGE.

IMPROVES THE ACCURACY OF HITTING THE TARGET.

PURPOSE OF RIFLING

RIFLING MARK ON BULLET

It developed on the surface of the bullet

Microscopic study of it gives an idea about the gun.

It is considered as fingerprints of firearm

IT IS DIAMETER OF THE BARREL OR BORE

• IT IS MEASURED AS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO LANDS

• CALIBER- UNIT MAY BE IN INCH OR IN MILLIMETER.

CALIBER OF A GUN

SHOTGUN :

Choke bore

Cylinder bore

Range – Up to 30 mt.

MECHANISM

TRIGGER OPERATION

STRIKING OFFIRING PIN

MIXTURE IN PRIMER OR DETONATOR EXPLODES

FIRE OR FLAMES

IGNITE PROPELLANT

GENERATION OF HEAVY GAS & PRESSURE

BULLET OR PELLET EJECTEDWITH HIGHVELOCITY.

CARTRIDGE OF A SHOTGUN

CARTRIDGE CASEGUN POWDERWADPELLETS.

CARTRIDGE CASE:

ELONGATED CYLINDER MADE UP OF CARD BOARD.

LENGTH VARIES WITH TYPE OF SHOTGUN.

IT HAS TWO ENDS A) FLAT CLOSED END – BASE

B) FLAT END ( TERMINAL END)

•

Shotgun shell cross section

(Wad)

CARTRIDGE OF A RIFFLED GUN IT IS THE RIFLED FIREARM AMMUNITION.

IT CAN BE LOADED INTO THE CHAMBER OF THE GUN.

IT CAN DISCHARGE THE BULLET ON BEING FIRED.

IT IS MADE UP OF TWO SEGMENT

1. CARTRIDGE CASE

2. BULLET

IT IS AN ELONGATED METALLIC CYLINDER MADE UP OFCOPPER- NICKEL ALLOY.

CARTRIDGE CASE

Anatomy of a Bullet Cartridge

Jacket

BULLET OF A RIFFLED FIREARM :

IT HAS GOT A CONICAL SHAPE.IT HAS FOUR COMPONENT

1. BODY 2. BASE 3. NOSE OR TIP 4. LEAD CORE

IT PROVIDES THE WEIGHT AND STEADINESS FOR THE BULLET IN IT’S FLIGHT FROM MUZZLE TO THE TARGET.

MUSHROOMING OF BULLET-:

DUM - DUM BULLET-:

BASE IS NOT COVERED BY JACKET SO IT ALSO MUSHROOMS BEFORE STRIKE PRODUCING BIG ENTRY WOUND.

FRANGIBLE BULLET-:

INCENDIARY BULLET:

EXPLOSIVE BULLET:

YAWNING BULLET

TUMBLING BULLET:

Richochet bullet :

Tendem or Piggyback bullet:

Souvenir bullet:

Yawing bullet

Tumbling bullet:

PLASTIC BULLET-:

BATON ROUND USED IN SMOOTH BORE WEAPON USED FOR RIOT CONTROL.

PRIMERS :

•Lead•Antimony•Barium

Firearm injury-General Aspects

Position of target

Contact Close Near Distant

Gun powder

Flame

RANGE of

shooting

Burning & Singeing :

•Due to flame •On the skin –•On the hair –•Darkening and parchmentization of burnt area – After death

Blackening/Smudging:

• Carbonaceous deposition on skin which can be easily wiped off.

• Caused by deposition of SMOKE on skin

Tattooing (peppering/stippling):

• Multiple punctuate abrasions.

• Small, discrete, black specks which can’t be wiped off.

Grease collar/Dirt collar:

• Carried lubricant from the barrel of firearm on the projectile

ABRASION COLLAR:

• Recoil /Muzzle impression.• Back spatter

Rifled Firearm injury :

Contact range

Close range

Near range

Distant range

Contact Wounds

• Wound of entry – Large, triangular, stellate or cruciate shaped.• Wound track –• Muzzle imprint.• Back spatter.• Corona.• Burning, blackening and tattooing around the wound

margin – Slight or absent.• Over the cranial vault –

Close shot (Up to 15 cm)

• Up to 8 cm- effect of flame• Up to 15 cm – effect of smoke• Wound of entry – Circular, inverted surrounded by

burning, blackening and singeing of hairs.• Abrasion collar, grease collar and tattooing present.• Wound track – Pink coloured.

Near shot (Up to 50 cm)

• Tattooing present.•Wound of entry – Circular or oval in shape.• Abrasion and grease collar present.

Distant shot (> 50 cm)

• Burning, blackening, singeing and tattooing – Absent.•Wound of entry – Circular with inverted margin.• Abrasion and grease collar present.

• Over the skull -

COMPONENTS

GUN FLAMES

GUN SMOKES A) SOOT PARTICLE B) GUN POWDER 1) FINE 2) COARSE

CARDSWADSGASES

LEAD SHOTS

DISTANCE

15CM

30CM

60CM90CM

2METER1.25METERCONTACT & CLOSE SHOT

VARIES

SPECIFIC EFFECTS

HEAT COMBUSTION EFFECTS

BLACKENING

BLACKENINGTATTOOING

MINOR INJURYMINOR INJURYCHERRY RED COLORATION

WOUND OF ENTRY & WOUND OF EXIT.

Shotgun Entry wound -

1. Wound of entry – Large irregular and single hole.2. Burning, blackening, tattooing and singeing of

hairs.3. Muzzle imprint.4. Over the skull -

Contact shot :

• Close shot (Up to 1 meter) – Wound of entry

• Short range (1 to 2 meters) Wound of entry – Single and circular

• Intermediate range ( 2 to 4 meter) – Individual holes may be detected

• Long range ( > 4 meter)

Difference between Entry and Exit wound Trait Entrance wound Exit woundSize Smaller Bigger Edges Inverted EvertedBurning, blackening, tattooing.

Present Absent

Abrasion collar Present AbsentBleeding Less MoreFat No protrusion May protrudeCherry red – tissue Present AbsentFibers of cloths Turned in Turned out

Lead ring Seen in X ray AbsentSpectrography More Less metal

RAYALSEEMA PHENOMENON

KENNEDY PHENOMENON

PUPPE’S RULE

•Single entrance and multiple exits

•Multiple wound of entrance and exit from a single shot

• Entrance wound is present but bullet is not found in the body.

MEDICO LEGAL ASPECT OF FIREARM-:

TYPE OF FIREARM

RANGE OF FIRING

DIRECTION OF FIRING

CAUSE OF DEATH

MOTIVE

MEDICO LEGAL IMPORTANCE OF BULLET-:

A BULLET COULD BE CRIME BULLET, TEST BULLET OR EXHIBIT BULLET.

FIREARM RESIDUES

POWDER PARTICLESOOT

TESTS FOR THE FIREARM RESIDUES

PARAFFIN TEST ( DERMAL NITRATE TESTHARRISON AND GILROY TESTNEUTRON ACTIVE ANALYSISFLAMELESS ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY (FAAS)SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE – ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY (SEM-EDX)

DERMAL NITRATE TEST

THE BASIS OF THE TEST TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF

NITRATES IN HAND USED FOR FIRING.

Manner of injury -

Accidental

Suicidal

Homicidal

THANK YOU