GUnShot Wound

GUNSHOT WOUND
Ulfa Camelia Indiasari

Department of Forensic and Legal
Medicine
Ballistics
Ballistics is the science of the motion of projectiles
 the study of the projectile in the gun

 refers to the dynamics of a bullet in motion between
Internal ballistics the ignition of the propellant and exiting from the
firearm muzzle
 the study of the projectile through air

External ballistics  refers to the dynamics of a bullet during its flight in
air
 The study of penetration of solids by the missile

Terminal ballistics  refers to the effects produced by a bullet when it
strikes or penetrates any target
Wound ballistics  refers to the effects produced by a bullet when it

strikes or penetrates body as its target
DiMaio VJM. Gunshot Wound: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and ForensicTechniques. 2nd ed. 1999.CRC Press
Naidoo SR. Ballistic Trauma, Overview and Statistic. In Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine. 2005. Elsevier Ltd.
Internal ballistics
Internal ballistics
concerns what happens
within a time span of in
the region of 2 ms
between the impact of
the firing pin or striker
and the exit of the bullet
or shot charge from the
muzzle end of the barrel.
Banno A, Masuda T. Firearm Tutorial. [online July 22h 2013]. [cited 2004]. Available at : http://library.med.utah.edu/
Warlow T. Firearms, The Law and Forensic Ballistics. 2nd ed. CRC Press. 2005
Internal ballistics
 The material ejected from

the firearm will, in the
case of simple impulse
launched designs, exhibit
its highest velocity at the
moment of its release.
 The energy carried by the
missile or missiles is
usually referred to as the
kinetic energy.
External ballistics
• External ballistics is
concerned principally
with the flight of the
bullet or shot charge after
leaving the barrel.
• This will of course
involve the missile
trajectory, the arclike
flight path which is the
resultant of the effects of
gravity and air resistance.
External ballistics
Cartridge wadding and unburnt
particles of propellant will
produce significant effects at
close range upon the victim of a
shooting, as will the flash and
high-pressure powder gases
nearer to the muzzle.
A–C. Small gas cloud emerges from barrel followed by bullet

and larger cloud of gas (.38 Special Colt revolver).
Terminal ballistics
• The capacity to injure depends on the amount of energy
dissipated to the tissues as the bullet impacts and passes into
the body.
• A moving projectile, by virtue of its movement, possesses
kinetic energy.
E = ½ mv2
E is kinetic energy, m is mass, and v is velocity.
Terminal ballistics
There are three mechanisms by which a bullet or other missile causes wounds
in tissue.
• The first mechanism is the crushing and tearing of the tissue by the bullet
as it passes through the tissue.
• The second mechanism is the temporary cavity phenomenon that
contributes to some wounds. This is due to displacement of the tissue away
from the bullet surface during its passage through the tissue, and the degree
to which it contributes to the amount of tissue destruction produced is
influenced by a number of variables, such as bullet construction, mass,
velocity, presence of yaw, and nature of the tissues struck.
• The third mechanism of wound production is the displacement of tissues
by gases generated by the burning powder, which both lead (to a lesser
degree) and follow (to a greater degree) the bullet into the tissue. This
mechanism of tissue injury occurs only in situations where the gun muzzle
contacts, or nearly contacts, the skin surface when the bullet is fired
Itabashi HH, Andrews JM, Tomiyasu U, Erlich SS, Sathyavagismwaran L. Forensic Neuropathology. 2007. Elsevier
Terminal ballistics
Temporary cavity produced in gelatin block by 110-gr. semi-jacketed

hollow-point .38 Special bullet
The severity of a wound, as determined by the size of the
temporary cavity, is directly related to the amount of kinetic
energy lost in the tissue, not the total energy possessed by the
bullet.
Terminal ballistics
The amount of kinetic energy lost by a bullet depends on four
main factors:
The amount of kinetic energy possessed by the bullet at the

time of impact.
This is dependent on the velocity and mass of the bullet.
The angle of yaw of a bullet at the time of impact.

The greater the angle of yaw of a bullet when it strikes the
body, the greater the loss of kinetic energy.
Terminal ballistics
The bullet itself: its caliber, construction, and configuration.
Bluntnose bullets, being less streamlined than spitzer
(pointed) bullets, are retarded more by the tissue and
therefore lose greater amounts of kinetic energy.
The density, strength, and elasticity of tissue struck by a

bullet as well as the length of the wound track.
The denser the tissue  the greater the retardation  the
greater the loss of kinetic energy.
Terminal ballistics
No matter how large a temporary cavity a bullet
produces, it will have little or no effect unless it forms
in an organ sensitive to injury from such a cavity.
GUNS DON’T
KILL PEOPLE
BULLETS DO
Gunshot wound
Penetrating
Wound
Perforating
Wound
Gunshot wound
Entry Wound Contact Intermediate
Near Contact Distant
Exit Wound
Kirk GM. Firearm Injuries. In Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine. 2005. Elsevier Ltd.
Itabashi HH, Andrews JM, Tomiyasu U, Erlich SS, Sathyavagismwaran L. Forensic Neuropathology. 2007. Elsevier
Gunshot wound
The appearance of an entry gunshot wound is dependent on many
factors, including the type of firearm, ammunition, distance of
fire, angle of impact, passage through intermediate objects,
stability of the projectile, and area of the body struck.
Entry gunshot wound with a neat

round central defect
and surrounding abrasion collar
Gunshot wound
Knight, Bernard. 1996. Forensic pathology.Second Edition. London;Arnold:231-241

Gunshot wound
Vincent J.M Di Maio. The Forensic Aspects of Ballistics. An Introduction of the Classification of Gunshot Wounds. In
Gunshot Wounds : Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics and Forensic. 2nd ed. 1999 p. 100-149.
Gunshot wound
• When a handgun or rifle is fired, it is not only the projectile
(bullet) that is propelled from the barrel; also emerging from
the end of the barrel are flame, vaporized metal, gases, smoke
and soot, and burning and unburned particles of propellant
powder.
• These all have greatly varying densities and travel different
distances from the weapon. An appreciation of the effects of
these components on the surface of the body of a victim of a
gunshot wound is important in assessing gunshot wounds
Gunshot wound
Gunshot wound
The muzzle imprint will mirror the contours of A hard contact entrance gunshot wound with laceration
the muzzle of the skin and deposition of residue in the edges of
the wound is on the forehead of a young homicide victim
Law E, Dolinak D, Matshes E. Firearm Injuries in Forensic Pathology – Principle and Practices. 2005 Elsevier
Gunshot wound
Near gunshot wound with a central defect, searing of This is a near (loose) contact gunshot wound through hair in
the skin, soot blackening, and concentrated tattooing. the sideburn area
Some unburned powder granules are present on the
wound surface.
Gunshot wound
intermediate-range gunshot wound to the right temple
Intermediate-range gunshot wounds with central

defects surrounded by powder tattooing. The upper
wound shows more concentrated tattooing than the
lower one. Law E, Dolinak D, Matshes E. Firearm Injuries in Forensic Pathology – Principle and Practices. 2005 Elsevier
Gunshot wound
The term indeterminate range is preferable and more

accurate than distant range gunshot wound.
Gunshot wound
Exit gunshot wound with irregular shape

and lacerated margins.
Stellate exit gunshot wound
Q&A
Caliber Nomenclature
Caliber of a rifle or handgun is supposed to be the diameter of the
bore, measured from land to land. This measurement represents
the diameter of the barrel before the rifling grooves were cut. In
reality, caliber may be given in terms of bullet, land, or groove
diameter usually expressed in hundredths of an inch (.22 cal) or
in millimeters (9mm
Vincent J.M Di Maio. The Forensic Aspects of Ballistics. An Introduction of the Classification of Gunshot Wounds. In
Gunshot Wounds : Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics and Forensic. 2nd ed. 1999 p. 100-149.
Q&A
The correct handling of a death from gunshot wounds begins at
the scene.
• The most important rule at the scene is to handle the body as
little as possible so as not to dislodge trace evidence that may
be clinging to garments or to the body surface.
• Before examination by the forensic pathologist, the body
should not be undressed, washed, embalmed, or fingerprinted.
• X-rays should be taken in all gunshot wound cases whether the
missile is believed to be in the body or to have exited.
• Photographing of the wounds on the body is recommended.
Thank you

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GUNSHOT WOUND

Ulfa Camelia Indiasari

 the study of the projectile in the gun

 the study of the projectile through air

 The study of penetration of solids by the missile

Wound ballistics  refers to the effects produced by a bullet when it

 The material ejected from

A–C. Small gas cloud emerges from barrel followed by bullet

E is kinetic energy, m is mass, and v is velocity.

Temporary cavity produced in gelatin block by 110-gr. semi-jacketed

The amount of kinetic energy possessed by the bullet at the

The angle of yaw of a bullet at the time of impact.

The density, strength, and elasticity of tissue struck by a

Entry Wound Contact Intermediate

Near Contact Distant

Entry gunshot wound with a neat

Knight, Bernard. 1996. Forensic pathology.Second Edition. London;Arnold:231-241

intermediate-range gunshot wound to the right temple

Intermediate-range gunshot wounds with central

The term indeterminate range is preferable and more

Exit gunshot wound with irregular shape

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