The flap by flap dissection in terminal ballistic applied to less lethal weapons

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Terminal Ballistics

Background:

• Terminal ballistics knowledge has advanced, aiding investigations into lethal weapon injuries.
• Focus has expanded to include less lethal weapons and their associated wound patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate wound characteristics from two distinct less lethal projectile weapons.
• To introduce and validate a new dissection technique for analyzing projectile wounds.

Main Methods:

• Testing two types of less lethal projectile weapons on 26 unembalmed cadavers.
• Utilizing a novel 'flap by flap dissection' technique to examine wounds.
• Varying projectile range and velocity during testing.

Main Results:

• The flap by flap dissection method highlights the bullet-skin-bone entity.
• This technique demonstrates the absence of connecting wounds between these components.
• The study provides insights into the effective range of less lethal weapons.

Conclusions:

• The flap by flap dissection is advantageous for understanding less lethal weapon injuries.
• This method aids in determining the range and characteristics of less lethal weapon impacts.