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Suicide using multiple crossbow arrows

K Opeskin¹, M Burke

¹Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, South Melbourne, Australia.

The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

|March 1, 1994

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

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This case study details a rare suicide involving multiple crossbow arrows, with both projectiles penetrating the brain without exiting the skull. Such incidents are unprecedented in reported medical literature.

Area of Science:

Forensic Pathology
Traumatology
Neuropathology

Background:

Suicide methods vary widely, with firearms and sharp objects being common.
Crossbows, while less common, can inflict lethal penetrating trauma.
Understanding unique injury patterns is crucial for forensic investigation.

Observation:

A 44-year-old male died by suicide using a crossbow.
The first arrow entered the face, traversing the frontal lobe without an exit wound.
The second arrow penetrated the palate, also traveling through the brain intracranially.

Findings:

The case represents a unique instance of dual intracranial penetration by crossbow arrows in a suicide.
Radiological and autopsy findings confirmed complex trajectories within the brain.

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No prior documented cases of suicide involving multiple crossbow arrows were found.

Implications:

This case highlights the potential lethality of crossbows in suicide.
It underscores the importance of considering unusual weapon use in forensic analysis.
Further research into ballistics and injury patterns of less common weapons is warranted.