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Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Forensic considerations on the two major civilian terrorist events occurred in Milan: A retrospective autopsy-based
Lorenzo Franceschetti1, Nicola Galante1, Sara Del Sordo1
1Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni-Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
Abstract:
Explosion-related deaths are a disregarded topic of forensic sciences, despite the pivotal role of the forensic pathologist in such investigations. In fact, very few scientific articles have been published up to now, even if there is a considerable increase of terrorist attacks worldwide due to the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). In this paper, the authors show a retrospective autopsy-based study on the two major civilian terrorist events which occurred in Milan (Italy). The first one took place in a closed system, where a gelignite bomb was set inside the National Agriculture Bank in December 1969. 17 people were killed, and all of them underwent forensic autopsies, which were performed at the Milan Institute of Legal Medicine. The second event took place in an open system, where a car bomb exploded in Palestro Street in July 1993. 5 people were killed, forensic autopsies were performed as well. A total of 22 explosion-related deaths were assessed in this study. For each victim, the analysis of clothes, external and internal examinations were reported; furthermore, a statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test was carried out in order to show differences among blast injuries that occurred in a closed system versus an open system. The analysis of the autopsy reports, which included the descriptions of clothes, and the injury patterns allowed a possible reconstruction of the bodily exposure side of the victims in relation to the origin site of the explosive devices.
Insights
Forensic autopsies reveal distinct injury patterns from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in closed versus open environments. This study analyzes 22 explosion-related deaths to aid forensic investigations.
Area of Science:
- Forensic pathology
- Explosion analysis
- Trauma research
Background:
- Explosion-related deaths, particularly from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), are under-researched in forensic science.
- Terrorist attacks utilizing IEDs have increased globally, highlighting the need for specialized forensic expertise.
- Forensic pathologists play a crucial role in investigating explosion fatalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a retrospective autopsy-based study of explosion-related deaths from two major civilian terrorist events in Milan.
- To compare blast injury patterns in closed versus open environments.
- To reconstruct victim exposure based on autopsy findings and device location.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of autopsy reports for 22 victims from two distinct bombing incidents (1969 and 1993).
- Detailed examination of victim clothing, external injuries, and internal findings.
- Statistical comparison of injury patterns using Fisher's exact test between closed and open system events.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in blast injury patterns were observed between victims in a closed system (gelignite bomb) and an open system (car bomb).
- Autopsy findings, including clothing analysis and injury descriptions, facilitated reconstruction of victim proximity and orientation to the explosive device.
- The study provides a detailed forensic assessment of explosion fatalities.
Conclusions:
- Autopsy analysis is vital for understanding the effects of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in different environments.
- Distinguishing between closed and open system blast injuries aids in forensic reconstruction and investigation.
- This research underscores the importance of forensic pathology in addressing terrorism-related fatalities.
