Anatomical Distribution and Autopsy Features of Gunshot Injuries to Support the Manner of Death

Abstract

The autopsy features of the gunshot wounds can help understand the cause of death. This study aims to provide practical information to help distinguish between murder and suicide based on the discovery of a specific body. A database search of the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office from August 2014 to April 2019 found 3491 deaths due to gunshot wounds. Deaths as a result of delayed gunshot wounds, pre-death hospital studies, and decomposing bodies were exhumed. The following details were recorded: the manner of death, details of the people, the gun and type of ammunition, the number and location of the gunshot wounds, the extent of the fire, the toxicity, and the additional injuries. The study focuses primarily on linear analysis. The left-to-right, the back-to-back course was the most anticipated form of suicide; a forward-looking approach was a common practice seen in massacres.When the internal route of a bullet is defined in terms of all available evidences you can move or confirm witness statements and highlight the consistency and inconsistency of investigative reports and group tests.Data revealed that the majority of the suicides were committed at home or in close vicinity of the home. Previous reports showed that approximately 40% of the homicide victims had been shot at their homes. Due to the nature of the study, several variables like geographical distribution of cases, comparison between suicidal and homicidal deaths could not be done. Autopsy findings suggested that multiple wounds, entrance sites, and distant wounds could be useful in the interpretation of death.