INJURIES DUE TO GUNSHOT WOUNDS, EXPLOSIVES AND FIRE (FROM NEW POLICE SURGEON - A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE, 1978, BY H S BURGES AND J E HILTON SEE NJC-61742)

• NCJ Number: 61750
• Author(s): R B IRWIN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 27 pages
• Corporate Author: Hutchinson Benham Ltd
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

THE POLICE SURGEON JOB REGARDING INJURIES DUE TO GUNSHOT WOUNDS, EXPLOSIVES, AND FIRE ARE PRESENTED; TOPICS INCLUDE FIREARMS, GUNSHOT WOUNDS, TRACE EVIDENCE, AND CAUSE OF DEATH CLASSIFICATION.

Abstract

BASIC QUESTIONS THE POLICE SURGEON MAY BE ASKED WHEN CALLED TO A SHOOTING SCENE INVOLVE WHETHER THE VICTIM IS DEAD, IF DEATH HAS BEEN CAUSED AS A RESULT OF A GUNSHOT WOUND, WHETHER DEATH OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF THE DISCHARGE OF THE WEAPON. HE MAY ASSIST IN GIVING AN OPINION OF WHAT TIME DEATH HAS OCCURRED. HE WILL ALSO BE ASKED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE BODY WAS MOVED FOLLOWING DEATH, WHETHER THE WOUND WAS SELF-INFLICTED, AND WHAT TYPE OF WEAPON WAS USED. THE TYPES OF WEAPONS USED PRODUCE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOUNDS. WEAPONS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THE BASIC CATEGORIES OF SMOOTH BORE WEAPONS; RIFLED WEAPONS; PISTOLS, WHICH INCLUDE REVOLVERS AND AUTOMATICS; SUBMACHINE GUNS; AND MISSILES. GUNSHOT WOUNDS DEPEND ON VARIOUS FACTORS INCLUDING THE MUZZLE VELOCITY OF THE WEAPON, WEAPON TYPE, AND WHERE THE BODY HAS BEEN STRUCK. THE APPEARANCE OF ENTRANCE AND EXIT WOUNDS CHARACTERIZE BOTH WEAPON TYPE AND CONTACT POINT OF THE BODY. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION FACING A POLICE SURGEON AT THE SCENE IS WHETHER DEATH HAS BEEN CAUSED BY HOMICIDE, ACCIDENT, OR SUICIDE. SUICIDES ARE FREQUENTLY CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF A PISTOL OR SHOTGUN; NEARNESS OF WEAPON TO THE BODY; FIRING OF ONE SHOT ONLY; CONTACT POINTS OF THE RIGHT TEMPLE, MOUTH, OR HEART; AND EXPOSURE OF THE SELECTED SIGHT PRIOR TO FIRING. DISTINGUISHING ACCIDENT FROM SUICIDE OR MURDER IN SHOTGUN CASES CAN BE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT. TRACE ELEMENTS REMAINING ON THE BODY, SUCH AS BARIUM OR LEAD, SHOULD BE COLLECTED FOR ANALYSIS. DEATHS AND INJURIES DUE TO EXPLOSIONS IN ENGLAND AS A RESULT OF TERRORST ACTIVITIES ARE CAUSED BY SMALL QUANTITIES OF EXPLOSIVE MIXTURES LEFT IN CONFINED AREAS. DEATH RESULTS FROM FLYING GLASS, MASONRY, FURNITURE, AND OTHER BUILDING FABRIC. DEATHS DUE TO FIRE MAY BE CAUSED BY INHALATION OF TOXIC GASES, PARTICULARLY CARBON MONOXIDE, BURNS, OR HEAT RUPTURE. SKETCHES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CHAPTER. (LWM)