Discordance of Gross and Histologic Findings in Estimating the Range of Fire of Gunshot Wounds

• Hlavaty, Leigh ; Roquero, Leonardo ^[2] ; Amley, Jeffery ^[3] ; Root, Kelly ; Ishikawa, Martin ^[4] ; Koopmeiners, Andrew ^[5] ; Zhao, Lili ^[1] ; Sung, LokMan
  1. [1] University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

     University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

     City of Ann Arbor, Estados Unidos

     
  2. [2] Clark County Office of the Coroner. Estados Unidos
  3. [3] Firearms and Toolmarks Identification Unit, Michigan State Police Forensic Laboratory. Estados Unidos
  4. [4] Clinical Labs of Hawaii.Estados Unidos
  5. [5] Georgia Bureau of Investigation.Estados Unidos

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• Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 64, Nº. 5, 2019, págs. 1399-1411
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Forensic pathologist use soot and/or stippling surrounding entrance gunshot wounds in categorizing range of fire. If absent,some pathologists suggest utilizing histology when the range is diagnostically critical. This study investigates the concordance of macroscopicand microscopic findings in estimating range of fire by evaluating gunshot entrance and exit wounds made through human tissue analogs atdefined distances using two handgun calibers. Examination of over 150 entrance wounds verified the ease of visually detecting soot from amuzzle distance of contact to 1 foot (30.5 cm), and its absence at 9 feet (274.3 cm). Distinctly apparent was bullet wipe surrounding theentrance wounds regardless of muzzle distance. Although variations existed, dark material was histologically identified in many skin, soft tis-sue, and bone sections at all ranges with both calibers. These nonparallel results decrease the dependability of histology for range of fire esti-mation and reinforce using gross observation.