Determined to Die! Ability to Act Following Multiple Self-inflicted Gunshot Wounds to the Head. The Cook County Office of Medical Examiner Experience (2005–2012) and Review of Literature

• Ponni Arunkumar ^[1] ; Aniello Maiese ^[2] ; Giorgio Bolino ^[2] ; Lorenzo Gitto ^[2]
  1. [1] Cook County Medical Examiner's Office Chicago IL
  2. [2] “Sapienza” University of Rome Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Rome Italy
• Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 60, Nº. 5, 2015, págs. 1373-1379
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Cases of multiple (considered 2+) self-inflicted gunshot wounds are a rarity and require careful examination of the scene of occurrence; thorough consideration of the decedent’s psychiatric, medical, and social histories; and accurate postmortem documentation of the gunshot wounds. We present a series of four cases of multiple self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office between 2005 and 2012 including the first case report of suicide involving eight gunshot wounds to the head. In addition, a review of the literature concerning multiple self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head is performed. The majority of reported cases document two gunshot entrance wound defects. Temporal regions are the most common affected regions (especially the right and left temples). Determining the capability to act following a gunshot wound to the head is necessary in crime scene reconstruction and in differentiation between homicide and suicide.