When conducting an investigation for a homicide due to a handgun it is important that investigators and firearms technicians have an understanding on how a handgun is manufactured, what is a bore, rifling patterns and their purpose, and caliber. Class and individual characteristics are present in handguns, projectiles and shell casings. Every handgun contains general rifling characteristics based on the number and width of grooves, as well as the direction of grooves. After a handgun is fired it can present with penetrating and perforating gunshot wounds, which have specific entry and exit characteristics. The muzzle-to-distance characteristics vary depending on how close or distant the shooter was from the victim or surface. Finally, at a crime scene an investigator must gather evidence at a death scene. When a handgun is used the investigator should document class characteristics of a firearm, bullet or shell casing. Also, the handgun or ammunition should be dusted for fingerprint and DNA evidence.
Early handguns of the 14th century were made of a bronze tube or wrought iron, packed with gun powder and a projectile then ignited through a touch-hole. These early guns were wildly inaccurate and often failed. By 1835, Samuel Colt patented the first revolving cylinder and chamber handgun, which was later mass produced as a weapon of choice by military personnel. The automatic pistol arrived in the late twentieth century. Today, modern firearms come in a variety of
An investigation involving a firearm is a specialty of forensic science which focuses on the examination of firearms linked to ballistics. Ballistics is related to finding out the exact flight path of projectiles. Ballistics is the area of study that examines the exact path of the bullet from the moment it leaves the muzzle of the firearm up until it hits the target. During examination many items are collected for evidence including the firearm, bullets, live ammunition, cartridge casings, trace materials such as powder residue, and anything damaged by the projectile. Firearms are often divided into three processes: Internal, External, and Terminal Ballistics. Internal refers to the inside of the firearm; the space of time in which the shooter pulls the trigger, and the when the bullet is exiting. External ballistics is the flight between leaving the muzzle of the firearm, and it striking its target. Terminal ballistics is the impact of ballistics that refers to the examination in which the projectile strikes a target. All firearms leave markings on the cartridge casings once expelled when firing. Ballistic identification and microstamping laws make it possible to link a cartridge recovered to the
“In 1836 Samuel Colt was granted a U.S. patent for a cap-and-ball pistol with a revolving
Forensic ballistics and firearm investigation begin when the bullets, cartridges, a weapon, or any combination of the above found at a crime scene. With the evidence, a crime laboratory will explore for clues on some things that might cause a suspect or possible to prove that the things were used in the crime. By contrast, the markings on the bullets or cartridges found at the scene with those discharged from the suspect’s weapon, a ballistics expert will typically confirm if the rounds came from a similar weapon. Just the act of cycling a cartridge through the weapon without firing it will leave permanent scratches on the case that is distinctive to the weapon.
Gary Tallman approached me and advised that the person was deceased. He stated time of death was 5:22 P.M. I asked Capt. Tallman where the weapon was at. Capt. Tallman stated Fireman Darin Groom secured the weapon then handed it to him. Capt. Tallman stated he put the gun in the fire truck. I went to the fire truck and retrieved the gun. The gun is a Glock model 17C 9mm. I took the gun and magazine with 12 live rounds and placed them into an evidence bag. I secured the gun and ammunition in my trunk. The Glock pistol will be placed into property. I spoke to Fireman Groom who secured the Glock. Fireman Groom stated when he arrived on scene the deceased person was laying face up. Fireman Groom stated the gun was laying near the deceased's left hand. Fireman Groom stated the barrel of the gun was pointed toward the deceased's hand. Fireman Groom stated (1) spent shell casing was laying on the ground a few feet from the deceased. Fireman Groom stated for safety reason's he picked up the glock, removed the magazine, slid the slide back ejecting (1) live round. Fireman Groom stated after securing the weapon he handed the gun to Capt. Tallman. Capt. Tallman showed me the spent casing on the ground. A fireman stood over the casing so that it was not kicked. Photographs of the spent casing were taken. I took the spent casing and put it into a evidence bag and secured it in my trunk. The spent casing will be placed into
What characteristics, if any, do school shooters have in common? Can they all be lumped into one group of empathy-lacking, sadistic, depressed individuals, or do they each act due to their own separate reasons? Although the media makes it seem as if school campus massacres are becoming an increasingly common threat, the reality is that an event of that caliber is exceptionally rare. While it is true that no two perpetrators are alike, it is important to recognize that the overwhelming majority of school shooters follow a basic equation of personality traits, behavioral patterns, and other characteristics.
This allowed the cylinder of the pistol to spin freely while in half cock, enabling the soldier/wielder to easily reload whenever he/she felt necessary. With such numerous advantages over the flintlock pistols , the Colt Revolver essentially revolutionized the way weapons were created and their mechanisms. In the current day, most firearms operate with a magazine which holds the bullets that are to be fired from the weapon. Similarly, in the Colt Revolver, there was a cylinder containing the bullets that were to be shot from the Revolver thereby maximizing the efficiency of weapons.
A Man in his mid-30s was found dead at the bottom of a mineshaft with a gunshot wound. The man was found at 2:45 pm on October 20th 1990 after a women reported about witnessing the murder. The mine shack was located near Parry Sound Street. The man was depicted as blue eyes, blonde hair and a birth mark near his right ear. He wore a white t-shirt and black jeans with branded running shoes. He was found dead on his stomach with a small gun wound on his back chest.
When evidence is gathered, different equipment and processes are used to determinate what it means. In 2011, the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimated that 8,583 murder victims, in the United States, died because of a firearm. Forensic scientist can use equipment, such as the Integrated Ballistic Identification System, to find what firearm was used (Bureau). "They used a shotgun loaded with double-O buckshot. Inside the casing for each shot are nine
Firearms that are left behind at a crime scene can be extremely helpful. This evidence includes not only the firearm itself but also the ammunition used in the firearm, componets that make up the firearms, and the residue that comes out when the
Many people believe carrying a gun would protect and keep them safe but, yet guns have been mostly involved in many of the deaths caused each year. Instead, of using a gun for protection, many people misuse this weapon, increasing unintended injuries, and even deaths. Many gun shootings were even caused by people’s emotion, such as feeling weak, or hateful between another human being. Bryce Williams who was fired from the station felt nothing but, frustration which were one of the reason to cause the shooting of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. The gun, ended up in the wrong hand, which allowed the Bryce to put other people’s life at risk causing two deaths and an injury. Instead, of people causing less violence to the world, all they are doing
Although, many people think mental health tests would reduce deaths caused by gun shootings, I think they won’t do much of a difference in the country.
Let us start on how to collect and process expended projectiles and cartridge casings. When collecting expended casings, projectiles and remnants of shotgun ammunition each one should be numbered, photographed and measured for placement in a crime scene sketch (Tina Young, 2011). Each one collected should be placed in a pillbox or coin envelope then those should be placed into bigger envelopes or bags (Tina Young, 2011). If a projectile is stuck in a wall the section of the wall where the projectile is located should be removed (Tina Young, 2011). If a firearm found at a crime scene the best way to link it to the crime or other crimes is to test fire it into a water tank or ballistic gel. Once this has been done, the forensic tech can then compare the bullet and casing using a microscope. (Tina Young, 2011). If the firearm is not located then the casing or bullet can be ran through the National Ballistic Database. Now that we have talked about rendering firearms safe and also how they should be processed, now we can look at what information can be gained from the firearm and the cartridges and
If you watch an action film, you see people get shot all the time. Sometimes it's stupid, most times it's stupid, but in war movies, it's pretty tragic. If you've ever seen someone shot in real-life, it's even worse. There is no classic lines, there's shock, fear, panic, crying, and the horrible unknowing of what happens next. One of the biggest things about a gun shot is that it's hard to seal. Most just know to put pressure on the wound and to get that person to the hospital as quickly as possible. But what if you could seal the wound in 20 seconds to give the victim a better chance at surviving the wound? Good news!
Cartridge casings can be found a various types of crime scenes. These cartridge casings are then examined to answer questions such as, what was the caliber of the firearm (i.e. 9mm, .308 Winchester), composition of the ammunition (i.e. brass, steel), shape (i.e. rimless, rimmed), the position of the shooter, etc. Individual characteristics on cartridge casings that are useful in forensic investigations include firing pin impressions, breech face marks, ejector marks, and extractor marks.
Goddard composed an article in 1925 titled “Forensic Ballistics”. This article explained the analysis of firearm evidence by using a comparison microscope. The comparison microscope