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Unusual soot pattern from suicidal handgun wound
1Kent County, Michigan Medical Examiner, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|October 7, 2021
Summary
Atypical soot patterns from a 9mm pistol gunshot wound revealed unique deposits caused by barrel ports. This finding aids in determining weapon type and muzzle-to-target distance in forensic investigations.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Ballistics
- Trace Evidence Analysis
Background:
- Soot deposition typically forms a concentric ring around gunshot entry wounds.
- The distance of soot deposition usually indicates muzzle-to-target range.
Observation:
- A unique case involved a self-inflicted gunshot wound with two distinct 3mm soot deposits, 2cm from the entry wound.
- This atypical pattern differed from typical concentric soot rings.
Findings:
- Test-firing the 9mm pistol reproduced the unusual soot deposits.
- The deposits were traced to two specific ports located on the top of the pistol's barrel.
Implications:
- Analyzing atypical soot patterns can provide crucial forensic information.
- This analysis may help identify the specific firearm and muzzle-to-target distance, even in unusual cases.
