FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
Entrance Wounds
– Surrounded by a reddish to reddish-brown abrasion
ring
– Rim of flattened, abraded skin, surrounding hole
• Fresh wounds have moist flesh appearance
• Abrasion ring is due to the bullet rubbing the skin raw
• Not due to bullet burning skin
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Entrance Wounds
– Bullet striking perpendicular to skin leaves a
concentric abrasion ring
– Bullet striking at oblique angle to skin leaves an
eccentric abrasion ring
– May be absence of abrasion ring due to high-velocity
center fire rifle bullets
• Show micro-tears around hole
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Entrance Wounds
– Distant GSW of head may have stellate or irregular
appearance
• Due to bony prominences
• May be mistaken for exit wounds
– Look for soot and flakes of powder in wound
Entrance Wounds
Entrance Wounds
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Entrance Wounds (Miscellaneous)
– Graze wounds – no perforation
– Tangential wounds – through subcutaneous tissue
– Superficial perforating wounds – entrance and exit
are close together
– Re-entry wounds – passes through one part of body
and reenters in another part
– Shoring of an entrance wound – re-entry wound of
chest from a bullet that perforated arm
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Exit Wounds
– All have the same general characteristics
• Larger and more irregular than entrance wounds
• No abrasion ring
• Stellate, slit-like, crescent, circular or completely irregular
pattern
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Exit Wounds
– These wounds are larger because
• First: The spin that stabilizes the bullet in the air is not
effective in tissue
– The bullet will “yaw” more in tissue and eventually tumble
• Second: The bullet may be deformed upon entering the
body
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Exit Wounds
– Shape is dependent somewhat on location of exit
• Loose skin = small slit-shaped wound
• Bony surface = larger, irregular or stellate wound
– Wounds are typically larger than entrance, but this
may not hold true due to elasticity of skin
– May appear as laceration from stretching force of
bullet as it leaves the body
Exit Wounds
Exit Wounds
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Backsplatter
– Ejection of blood and tissue from an exit wound is
common
– The occurrence and degree depends on
• Anatomical location of wound
• Range
• Caliber of weapon
– Stains may be found on shooter, weapon, objects in
vicinity
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Range of Gunfire
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Note origin
Identify Contact Point(s)
Note Dispersion
Identify Tattooing Effects
Note formation of wound
• Entrance (in-shooting wound)
• Exit (out-shooting wound)
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Radiographs confirm the
presence or absence of
a fired missile in body
• Also assists in ID of
weapon used, whether
it’s a rifled weapon
(bullets) or shotgun
(pellets)
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Direction of fire may be
determined by
examination of dermal
entrance wound and
wound track within body
• Round entrance =
perpendicular to body
• Oval w/asymmetrical
abrasion = angled fire
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Direction of fire through
the skull is characterized
by flat “punched out”
appearance on outside
• Beveled appearance
inside cranial vault
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Shotguns – Pellets and
wads are the
components that cause
wounding
• Injuries vary with
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–
–
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Range of fire
Gauge of weapon
Degree of choke
Size & number of pellets
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Contact wound of
shotgun
– Usually round or oval
– Margins of wound are
clean with contusion
– Tissue is blackened by
gunpowder and flame
– Gases and shot blasted
into wound can destroy
deeper tissues
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Intermediate range
shotgun wounds are
round or oval
– Margins are clear cut or
slightly ragged
– Satellite pellet injuries
may be observed
GUNSHOT WOUNDS
• Distant shotgun wounds
– Usually round with pellet holes
– Pellet wounds are usually round with a rim of
abrasion
Gunshot Wound – High Powered
Rifle