Fatal Gunshot Research Articles

DETERMINATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A LETHAL BULLET INJURY TO THE HEAD DUE TO A PROJECTILE RICOCHET TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EXPERIMENTALLY FIRED BULLETS

Gunshot wounds always occupy one of the leading places in the structure of violent mortality, however, there is not enough information in the specialised literature that highlights the distinct individual characteristics of projectiles (bullets) that were removed from a biological object and became the instrument of death, and when they ricochet (collide with an obstacle) after a series of experimental shots. Aim: To determine the possibility of causing a fatal bullet injury to the head after the ricochet of a projectile from the road surface, taking into account the analysis of the morphological characteristics of experimentally fired bullets. Material and methods. The archival material of the SSI "Main Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine" ("Expert conclusion") was used. The objects of the study were: bones of the skull of the victim gr. K, gunshot wounds on the head (entrance, exit hole, wound channel), as well as bullets up to 9 mm cartridges of the "Makarov" pistol, namely 1) one bullet removed from the cranial cavity after an autopsy and 2) 6 bullets removed after an experimental series of shots into the road surface. Their characteristics were studied using standard methods generally accepted in forensic medicine and standard methods of variational statistics. Results. During arrest by a law enforcement officer, the man received a fatal gunshot wound to the head with a 9 mm bullet. There was an entrance hole in the occipital bone, a wound channel in the cranial cavity at an angle of approximately 130° to the midline of the body, and a depressed fracture of the frontal bone. A series of experimental shots with 9mm bullets revealed the remains (fragments) of the asphalt coating and their marked deformation, which was not the case with the bullet that caused the fatal wound. Ballistic analysis showed that the angle of movement of the bullet in the cranial cavity was 30°. Conclusion. According to the circumstances contained in the criminal case materials and established during the forensic examination, the bullet wound could not have been caused by the ricochet of the bullet from the asphalt pavement, since no remains (fragments) of the obstacle with which the bullet collided were found, and its deformation does not correspond to the results of the forensic shooting and ballistic examination.

Gunshot injuries in Central Europe – Epidemiology and outcome in Germany, Switzerland and Austria – an analysis based on the TraumaRegister DGU®

BackgroundFirearms are of special interest in trauma research due to high lethality and criminal value. Strong correlation between guns per capita and fire-arm related deaths has been shown. Most of existing literature regarding gun-shot fatalities are from the U.S. and data for Central Europe is lacking. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the legal frameworks regarding gun-ownership in Germany (DE), Austria (A) and Switzerland (CH), and to retrospectively analyze data from the TraumaRegister DGU® regarding the epidemiology, injury severity, intention and outcome of gunshot-related deaths in these countries. MethodsAll patients from TR-DGU who sustained a gunshot injury in the time period from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2019 were considered for analysis. Only cases admitted to level 1 or 2 trauma center in Germany, Switzerland, or Austria were included. Predicted mortality was calculated using the RISC-II. Further, the legal framework for firearm posession were explored. ResultsThe legal frameworks do not differ significantly between the countries. However, only ex-military men from Switzerland are allowed to keep their automatic (military) weapon at home. We assessed 1312 gunshot fatalities (DE 1,099, A 111, CH 102) of which most were due to suspected suicide (A 72.1 %, CH 64.7 %, and DE 56.6 %, p = 0.003). Act of suspected violent crime or accidental gunshots were rare in all three countries. Amongst all gunshot fatalities, Austria showed the highest mean age (57.6 years), followed by DE (53.4 years) and CH (49.4 years; p < 0.01). Gunshot fatalities amongst all assessed countries due to suspected suicide showed a peak at the age of 60 years and above, whereas suspected violent crime delicts with gunshots were mainly seen in younger age groups. The highest mortality was found in suspected suicide cases, showing a mortality of 82.1 % (predicted 65.2 %) in Switzerland, 75.3 % (predicted 65.8 %) in Austria and 63.7 % (predicted 56.2 %) in Germany. ConclusionGunshot wounds are still rare in central Europe, but gunshot-related suicide rates are high. Gun ownership laws may have an impact on gunshot wounds due to suspected suicide. Injury patterns differ compared to countries where a high incidence of gun ownership is seen.

Fatal gunshot trauma of a child: A case from colonial Cyprus.

Forensic science has made some significant contributions to the investigation of human rights abuses related to armed conflicts, especially in the last 40 years. Some investigations are aimed at the collection of evidence in order to prosecute those responsible, while others are humanitarian in nature. This paper presents the multidisciplinary effort to recover and identify the remains of a 7-year-old child who was shot by British colonial forces in Cyprus in 1956. An investigation led to the discovery of the burial site, and archaeological methods were used to recover the remains. The anthropological examination provided information about the age of the child, as well as the nature of the skeletal trauma present. DNA results confirmed the identity of the victim, and the remains were released to the surviving family members for burial.

Substance Use-Associated Mortality among Heart Donors after the COVID-19 National Emergency Increased but Did Not Affect Peri-Transplant Outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic and consequent social isolation prompted a surge in mental health disorders and substance use in the general population and, therefore, in potential organ donors. We aimed to evaluate if this led to a change in donor characteristics, including the mechanism and circumstance of death, and how this may have affected clinical outcomes following heart transplantation. We identified all heart donors from the SRTR database between 18 October 2018 and 31 December 2021, excluding those who donated immediately after the US national emergency declaration. Donors were stratified into pre-COVID-19 (Pre-Cov; through 12 March 2020) and post-COVID-19 national emergency declaration cohorts (Post-Cov; 1 August 2020 through 31 December 2021) based on the heart procurement date. Relevant demographics, cause of death, and substance use history were collected in addition to graft cold ischemic time, the incidence of primary graft dysfunction (PGD), and recipient survival at 30 days post-transplant. A total of 10,314 heart donors were identified; 4941 were stratified into the Pre-Cov and 5373 into the Post-Cov cohorts. There was no difference in demographics, but illicit drug use was significantly higher in the Post-Cov group, leading to an increased incidence of death from drug intoxication. Fatal gunshot wounds were also more common. Despite these changes, the incidence of PGD remained similar (p = 0.371), and there was no difference in 30 days recipient survival (p = 0.545). Our findings confirm that COVID-19 had a major impact on mental health and psychosocial life with an associated increase in illicit substance use and fatal intoxication rates in heart transplant donors. These changes did not alter peri-operative mortality following heart transplantation. Future studies are needed to ensure that long-term outcomes remain unaffected.

FEATURES OF FATAL INJURIES WHEN SHOOTING FROM CONVERTED AND REACTIVATED WEAPONS (TWO CASES FROM EXPERT PRACTICE)

Relevance. Gunshot injuries from converted and re-activated (remanufactured) weapons are increasingly common in expert practice. This is due to the free circulation of such weapons, which are not controlled by authorized bodies, no documents or registration are required for their acquisition, and their transfer to a combat state is a technologically simple and fast process.&#x0D; Objective: analysis of the nature and characteristics of injuries caused by shots from converted and reactivated weapons, based on data obtained in forensic medical expert practice in the study of corpses of victims with gunshot wounds to the head, as well as on the results of forensic ballistic examinations of firearms and ammunition for them.&#x0D; Materials and methods. Cases of forensic medical examination of gunshot wounds to the head when fired from converted and reactivated (recovered) hand-held firearms, resulting in the death of the victims.&#x0D; Results. The study found that the use of signal weapons (pistol "Stalker-M906" converted for firing pistol cartridges of 9 mm RA caliber) and recovered neutralized weapons (mass-dimensional model of a 7.62 mm Nagant revolver equipped with non-standard ammunition) when fired at point-blank and at close range led to fatal penetrating gunshot wounds, accompanied by perforated fractures of the skull bones, destruction of the brain substance and intracranial hemorrhages.&#x0D; Conclusions. The analyzed cases of gunshot wounds when fired from converted and reactivated weapons indicate the potential danger of causing fatal injuries to a person. Consequently, an important issue is to strengthen control over the circulation, use and storage of signal and neutralized weapons.

Anatomical distribution and autopsy features of gunshot injuries to support the manner of death

The autopsy features of gunshot wounds can be useful in understanding the manner of death. This research aims to provide concrete data to help to discriminate between homicide and suicide based on specific autopsy findings.A search of the database of the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office from August 2014 through April 2019 identified 3491 deaths due to gunshot wounds. Deaths due to complication from delayed fatal gunshot wounds, subjects who received hospital care prior to death, and decomposed bodies were identified and excluded. The following data were recorded: manner of death, demographic data, firearm and bullet type, number and location of gunshot wounds, range of fire, toxicology, and additional injuries. The study primary focused on the analysis of the bullet trajectory. A course leftward-upward-backward was the most frequent observed trajectory in suicides; a course rightward-upward-frontward was the most frequent observed trajectory in homicides.When the internal trajectory of a bullet is interpreted in the light of all available evidence it can impeach or corroborate witness statements and highlight consistencies as well inconsistencies in investigative reports and scene examinations.

The effectiveness of forensic medical expert assessment of fatal multiple shooting wounds

Objective - to evaluate the practical solution of forensic medical problems in cases of fatal multiple gunshot wounds. The materials of 426 forensic medical expert studies of fatal gunshot wounds were studied. The reasons for the insufficient realization of practical expert problems' solution have been established. The relevance of further scientific and experimental research was confirmed to test traditional criteria and search for new ones for expert assessment of gunshot injuries. In modern conditions, an expert assessment of multiple gunshot injuries should be based on the following principles: widespread introduction of experimental and simulation methods, attraction of methods of applied mathematics, solving practical expert problems in the form of private scientific research, evaluating the results of expert research on the basis of strict adherence to the laws of formal logic.

49 Organ Donation Potential in Cases of Fatal Gunshot Wounds to the Head: Tools for Timely Screening in the Emergency Department

Gunshot wounds to the head (GSWH) have a high mortality rate and account for over a third of deaths due to head injury. Here we hypothesize that out-of-hospital vital signs may be useful tools in preliminary identification of organ donation potential when a patient presents to the ED with a fatal GSWH. Retrospective analysis was performed on data from an urban level 1 trauma center’s trauma database. All adult patients with out-of-hospital vital signs on-scene who presented to the ED before expiring due to a fatal GSWH between 1/1/2012 and 12/31/2018 were included. Characteristics of organ donors vs non-donors were analyzed, including injury severity score/abbreviated injury scale-head (ISS/AIS), on-scene Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), on-scene systolic blood pressure (SBP), on-scene respiratory rate (RR), and location of death. For non-normally distributed data, differences between groups were assessed with Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test. Differences for categorical variables were assessed using either Pearson's chi-squared test or Fisher's Exact Test. Significance noted when p < 0.05. Of 208 subjects meeting inclusion criteria, organ donation requests were made in 36 (17.3%) cases and 22 (10.6%) patients donated organs. Neither mean ISS nor AIS-head differed significantly between donors and non-donors (ISS: 4.5 vs 4.7 p=0.3761. AIS-head: 33.7 vs 27.3 p=0.0647) (Table 1). Donors had significantly higher mean on-scene GCS (5.1 vs 3.9 p=0.0016), SBP (129.3 vs 82.1 p=0.0028) and RR (20.5 vs 10.7 p=0.0001) than non-donors (Fig. 1A, B, C). While there was no significant difference in mean GCS at the ED (3.6 vs 3.5 p=0.4093), donors had a significantly larger decrease in mean GCS vs non-donors (-1.4 vs -0.6 p=0.0018) between on-scene and hospital assessment (Fig 1A). At the ED, donors had significantly higher mean SBP than non-donors (114.1 vs 82.7 p=0.0323) (Fig 1B). More donors than non-donors died in the ICU (90.9% vs 45.7%); 9.1% of donors and 45.7% of non-donors died in the OR; no donor died in the ED compared to 52.2% of non-donors; one non-donor (0.5%) died on the floor. Differences in location of death were significant (p < 0.0001) (Table 1). Out-of-hospital GCS, SBP, and RR values were all significantly higher in donors than non-donors. Donors also had significantly higher mean SBP at the ED and a larger decline in GCS between on-scene and the ED compared to non-donors. Nearly half of the study group, all non-donors, died in the ED. Out-of-hospital vitals and status changes en route to the ED may be of use in early identification of potential donors, allowing timely referral to organ procurement agencies, increasing donor opportunity and organ donation. No extra time or resources would be required to collect these metrics, as they are already assessed during emergent resuscitation and management of patients. Timely identification of donor potential may allow fatally wounded patients who expire in the ED the chance to become donors.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Noninvasive 7\xa0tesla MRI of fatal craniocerebral gunshots \u2013 a glance into the future of radiologic wound ballistics

Compared to computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides superior visualization of the soft tissue. Recently, the first 7 Tesla (7 T) MRI scanner was approved for clinical use, which will facilitate access to these ultra-high-field MRI scanners for noninvasive examinations and scientific studies on decedents. 7 T MRI has the potential to provide a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a characteristic that can be directly exploited to improve image quality and invest in attempts to increase resolution. Therefore, evaluating the diagnostic potential of 7 T MRI for forensic purposes, such as assessments of fatal gunshot wounds, was deemed essential. In this article, we present radiologic findings obtained for craniocerebral gunshot wounds in three decedents. The decedents were submitted to MRI examinations using a 7 T MRI scanner that has been approved for clinical use and a clinical 3 T MRI scanner for comparison. We focused on detecting tiny injuries beyond the wound tract caused by temporary cavitation, such as microbleeds. Additionally, 7 T T2-weighted MRI highlighted a dark (hypo intense) zone beyond the permanent wound tract, which was attributed to increased amounts of paramagnetic blood components in damaged tissue. Microbleeds were also detected adjacent to the wound tract in the white matter on 7 T MRI. Based on the findings of radiologic assessments, the advantages and disadvantages of postmortem 7 T MRI compared to 3 T MRI are discussed with regard to investigations of craniocerebral gunshot wounds as well as the potential role of 7 T MRI in the future of forensic science.

Heavy metal in radiology: how to reliably differentiate between lodged copper and lead bullets using CT numbers

BackgroundThe in situ classification of bullets is of interest in forensic investigations when the bullet cannot be removed. Although computed tomography (CT) is usually performed on shooting victims, visual assessment, or caliber measurements using CT can be challenging or infeasible if the bullets are deformed or fragmented. Independent from the bullet’s intactness, x-ray attenuation values (CT numbers) may provide information regarding the material of the bullet.MethodsEthical approval was not required (animal cadavers) or waived by the ethics committee (decedents). Copper and lead bullets were fired into animal cadavers, which then underwent CT scanning at four energy levels (80, 100, 120, and 140 kVp). CT numbers were measured within regions of interest (ROIs). In addition to comparing CT numbers, the dual-energy index (DEI), representing the ratio between the CT numbers of two energy levels, was calculated. The most appropriate method was applied for decedents with fatal gunshot wounds.ResultsCT numbers demonstrated no significant difference between copper and lead bullets, and false classifications can easily occur. DEI calculations revealed significant differences between the two groups of bullets. The 120/140 DEIs calculated from the maximum CT numbers obtained from ROIs at the edge of copper versus lead bullets presented a significant difference (p = 0.002) and a gap between the CT numbers of copper and lead bullets and was successfully applied for the decedents.ConclusionsThis study presents a viable method for distinguishing copper and lead bullets in situ via CT and highlights the potential pitfalls of incorrect classifications.

GUNSHOT INJURY: THE ROLE AND PLACE IN THE STRUCTURE OF VIOLENT DEATH, FORENSIC DESCRIPTION OF LETHAL CASES IN THE CITY OF MINSK FOR THE PERIOD 2009-2018

The article sets out the main historical milestones in the development of forensic ballistics, summarizes the literature on the incidence of lethal gunshot injuries in the world, and presents the results of our own study of deaths from gunshot injuries in Minsk from 2009 to 2018. Medical and social laws have been established on the basis of which the forensic medical characteristic of a fatal gunshot injury, compiled average statistical “portraits” of those killed as a result of this type of violent death have been drawn up. Analysis of the results of the study allows us to come to the following conclusions: – the results of statistical reports and scientific literature indicate a high level of occurrence of fatal injuries in the structure of violent death in the world, is one of the main areas studied by forensic science and practice in the study of gunshot injuries; – on the basis of a retrospective study, this forensic medical characteristic of a fatal gunshot injury in Minsk for the period from January 01, 2009 to December 31, 2018. It includes the type of death, gender, age, time of year, time of day, district of the city, place of causing gunshot injuries, presence ethyl alcohol, the place of death, the type of weapon, the type of ammunition, the type and location of the wound; – the average “portraits” of people who died in Minsk in 2009-2018 were compiled because of this type of violent death. In the “Expert Conclusion” and the decisions on the appointment of forensic medical examinations for the studied period, information about the possible ricocheting nature of the gunshot injuries was not found. This may be due to the lack of methods for establishing the fact and parameters of the ricochet of the gunshot and testifies to the need for further experimental studies in areas of forensic ballistics.

Fatal injury by air gun: a case report

BackgroundThe popularity of air weapons is increasing. They are often viewed as toys, rather than potentially lethal weapons. Regulations on purchase and ownership of air weapons differ from country to country. The majority of fatal and non-fatal air gun accidents involve children less than 16 years of age.Case presentationIn this report, we present a fatal case resulting from an accident involving an air gun. An accident happened between two brothers aged 9 and 7 and was initially considered to be a traumatic wound inflicted by falling on a scooter handle. Upon the arrival of an experienced police inspector, the cause of child’s death was called into question and it was discovered that unlicensed, loaded air gun was left unattended in a backyard shed. It was later established that the cause of death was a fatal gunshot wound to the chest and a pointed lead pellet was found in the boy’s liver.ConclusionsThe public and governments should be advised that air guns can be dangerous weapons which may cause serious injuries and even death. We believe that air guns should be regulated by the same laws that apply to firearms.

A fatal near-range gunshot below the chin in a child

A 14-year-old child was shot from distance in a neighboring country. The all available data was taken from the father without any idea about the scene investigation or the witness statements. On external examination, we have found a near-range gunshot entry wound with an ovalshaped entrance defect in the submental region. The defect edges were crenellated and scalloped showing the appearance of a "rat-hole" surrounded by concentric soot area with deposited burned grains and enfumage zone (Image 1). A reentry wound surrounded by a red-purple zone in the tongue underside (Image 2) and an exit wound in its upper side were found. At the frontal region, a stellate exit wound was seat of brain matter and bone splinter (Image 3). X-ray showed bone fractures without any metal object (Image 4). At autopsy, the tongue was shredded and there was a massive hemorrhage in the aero digestive crossroads. The external beveling of the exit wound was associated with skull bursting, sub- and extra-dural hematomas, and multiple brain hemorrhagic foci. Lack of ballistic study, we only confirmed that "penetrating cranio-facial trauma with at least one near-range gunshot below the chin" was the cause of death. Thus, all hypotheses of accident, suicide or homicide were possible provided the shot was fired from short distance. After confronting the father to this finding, he confessed that he tried to conceal the truth in order to protect his older son. The deceased was shot by his 16-year-old brother, while they were playing "cops and robbers" game.

Review of gunshot fatalities in the Northern part of Ghana; a 6 year forensic autopsy based study

Studies on firearm fatalities in some parts of Ghana have been reported. However, the incidence and pattern of firearm fatalities in the Northern sector of Ghana have fled the spotlight. This study aimed at reporting the incidence and pattern of gunshot fatalities autopsied within 2008 and 2013 year. There were 82(91.1%) male and 8(8.9%) female victims of gunshot deaths during the study period with an average of 15 cases annually. Where 60(66.7%) of the victims aged within 21–40; years resembling the pattern observed in several parts of the world. A significant number 28(31.1%) of the victims died of multiple shots or dispersed pellets affecting several parts of the body, followed by a single shot to the chest 18(20.0%), abdomen 17(18.9%), head 14(15.6%). Collectively, entry sites like the neck and upper limb among others accounted for 13(14.4%). Robbery accounted for 44(48.9%) followed by homicides 14(15.6%) cases. Recovered pellets, nature and legal status of firearm involved were also examined, and like in several developing countries, country-made guns played a substantial role in the firearm fatalities with calls to strengthen laws governing gun acquisition and use in the country.

Radiological investigation of gunshot wounds: a systematic review of published evidence.

Despite the constantly growing popularity of radiological imaging in forensic pathology, a systematic review investigating the efficiency and limits of radiological techniques, in comparison to forensic autopsy, was still missing. The present review aims at providing an overview on the current role of radiology in the forensic investigation of fatal gunshot wounds without any restriction to specific radiological techniques. A systematic literature search on three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct) was performed until December 2017. The Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (OCEBM) grading system for levels of evidence was applied, in order to weigh published evidence. Eighty-six papers (1.64% of the records) were included. Despite the quite limited general level of evidence, which contrasts with the abundance of the scientific literature on this topic, several recommendations/statements, coupled to their OCEBM grade, were distilled as for the identification of retained bullets, gunshot wounds detection, diagnosis of entrance and exit wounds, trajectories and internal injury detection and estimation of the firing distance. Imaging radiological technologies represent the present and future of wound ballistics. However,traditional, micro and molecular imaging techniques require further validation through blinded cross-sectional studies with appropriate reference standards (e.g. forensic autopsy).

Leveraging Combat Casualty Reporting in the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command for Evidence-Based Changes in the ANASOC School of Excellence

The Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) uses several documents for casualty reporting. By analyzing these documents from a period of March to December 2018, the authors demonstrate the predominance of gunshot fatalities within ANASOC at approximately 63% of combat deaths and a high rate of prehospital death at approximately 97% of combat deaths. The data also demonstrate relatively few cases of long-term disability from ANASOC soldiers wounded in action. The authors used these conclusions to create a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) working group that recommended changes to the medical curriculum at the ANASOC School of Excellence. These recommendations centered on an increased emphasis on bleeding control to prevent death from hemorrhagic shock.

Fatal gunshot injuries in the common buzzard Buteo buteo L. 1758 \u2013 imaging and ballistic findings

The conservation of the common buzzard is assured by the European Union law. In Poland, this wild bird is under strict species protection and it is used as a bioindicator for heavy metals in the environment. A case of the fatal shooting of a buzzard with a firearm by an unidentified shooter is described here. Macroscopic evaluation, X-ray imaging, post-mortem computed tomography, ballistic examination of the isolated bullets and finally a simulation of the assumed position of the bird at the time of the shot were performed. Numerous pellets were found inside the body, together with multiple bone fractures and central nervous system trauma. The buzzard died most probably as a result of spinal cord injury from a single shot that was fired from a smoothbore hunting gun. Collected evidence was insufficient to identify the shooter, which sadly confirms that identification of the perpetrator in wildlife forensics remains low.

Gunshot-wound dynamics model for John F. Kennedy assassination

U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in an open motorcade by a sniper in Dallas, Texas on 22 November 1963. A civilian bystander, Mr. Abraham Zapruder, filmed the motorcade with a 8-mm home movie camera as it drove through Dealey Plaza, inadvertently recording an ≈8 second sequence of events that included a fatal gunshot wound to the President in the head. The accompanying backward motion of the President's head after impact appeared to support later “conspiracy theories” because it was claimed that this was proof of a shot from the front (in addition to one from behind). In this paper, simple one-dimensional dynamical models are uniquely applied to study in detail the fatal shot and the motion of the President's head observed in the film. Using known parameters from the crime scene, explicit force calculations are carried out for determining the projectile's retardation during tissue passage along with the resulting transfer of momentum and kinetic energy (KE). The computed instantaneous KE transfer within the soft tissue is found to be consistent with the formation of a temporary cavity associated with the observed explosion of the head, and subsequent quantitative examination of this phenomenon reveals two delayed forces at play in the backward motion of the President following impact. It is therefore found that the observed motions of President Kennedy in the film are physically consistent with a high-speed projectile impact from the rear of the motorcade, these resulting from an instantaneous forward impulse force, followed by delayed rearward recoil and neuromuscular forces.

RNA/DNA co-analysis from bloodstains on aged polyvinyl-alcohol gloves prepared for securing evidence from the hands of victims of fatal gunshot injuries.

In contrast to cumulative techniques (e.g., tape-lift) for qualitative gunshot residues (GSR) analysis, topographic methods are commonly applied to preserve the integrity of evidence from a shooter's or victim's hand in cases of gun-related crimes. Topographic sampling techniques employing adhesive foils, latex, or the polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL) method enable unambiguous sampling of biological and non-biological trace material while preserving its spatial distribution and relation to each other. The PVAL method in particular allows for a topographically veridic and quantitative conservation of traces of GSR and biological stains that are embedded in the PVAL glove, because it completely removes these traces from the hand. The present study investigated the success rates of STR profiling and the detection of blood and brain-specific gene expression from minimal traces of blood splatter as well as parallel to the positive detection of gunshot residues embedded in 17 PVAL gloves taken from the hands of deceased persons in the context of homicide cases in the period between 1996 and 2003. The water-soluble PVAL matrix is shown to be fully compatible with successful STR profiling and the detection of blood- and brain-specific miRNA expression, even after up to 20years of storage, demonstrating that this sampling technique offers advantages compared to other more simplistic sampling methods like taping.

The diagnostic value of forensic imaging in fatal gunshot incidents: A review of literature

Abstract Introduction Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (PMMR) are frequently used as an addition to autopsy. However, there is no research that determined the diagnostic value of these imaging techniques in forensic cases. The aim of this review is to evaluate the available literature with regard to the correlation between autopsy and imaging findings in the forensic investigation of gunshot victims to arrive at an the diagnostic value of PMCT and PMMR. Materials & methods The review process was set out as a systematic review according to the Cochrane guidelines. A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE and EMBASE to identify studies comparing autopsy and imaging techniques after fatal gunshot incidents. Autopsy and imaging techniques were compared for forensically relevant items: entrance wounds, exit wounds, trajectory of the bullet through the body, detection of metal fragments and identification of relevant injuries. The autopsy was the reference standard in all studies. Results In each study a minimum of one and a maximum of five items could be compared between the imaging techniques and the autopsy. In total seven studies complied with the inclusion criteria. The overall quality and level of detail of these studies did not allow for a formal meta-analysis. For the detection of the entrance wound five studies provide data and the correlation between imaging and autopsy was 100% in four studies, and 69.2% in one study. Five studies provide data on the exit wound and there was a 100% correlation in four, and 52.2% in one study. Six studies provide data on the bullet path and the correlation between techniques and autopsy was 100% in four studies and respectively 72.1% and 80% in the other two studies. For the detection of metal fragments three studies provide data and all these studies showed a 100% correlation between imaging and autopsy. Two studies provide data on detecting injuries with a correlation between imaging and autopsy of 100% and 87.2% respectively. Conclusion Despite the concerns on the quality of the reviewed studies, the literature shows that PMMCT has a high sensitivity in identifying the main forensic items in gunshot victims compared to the standard of reference; an autopsy. Forensic radiology and autopsy can be complementary in a forensic medical investigation.