Shot at close range. Forensic medical characterization and assessment of gunshot injuries: lecture Wounds by automatic burst

Forensic medical characteristics and assessment of gunshot injuries: lecture // Selected lectures on forensic medicine (forensic traumatology) / Lev Moiseevich Bedrin. - Yaroslavl: Yaroslavl. state honey. Institute, 1989. - S.95-120.

Forensic medical characteristics and assessment of gunshot injuries: lecture / Bedrin L.M. — 1989.

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Damage when fired from firearms are called firearms. A firearm is a specially designed and manufactured device that uses the energy of propellant gases to impart propulsion to a firearm.

Damage caused by an explosion is also considered gunshot damage. artillery shell, mines, grenades, damage from explosives.

Gunshot injuries differ from all other mechanical injuries in their very peculiar features, which depend primarily on the design features of the firearm, ammunition (firearm and charge) and the distance from which the shot was fired.

Here are the basic data on the design features of firearms and ammunition, without knowledge of which it will be difficult to comprehend the features of the gunshot injuries themselves.

Firearms are subdivided into ARTILLERY and MANUAL SHELL (individual and group). In forensic practice, injuries from manual individual small arms. The most acceptable classification of these weapons for our purposes was proposed by SD Kustanovich (1956).

By purpose, they distinguish:

1. Combat weapon.
2. Hunting weapon.
3. Sports weapon.
4. Homemade weapon.
5. Special weapon.

Among military weapons allocate:

1. Combat rifles and carbines (shopping, automatic).
2. Submachine guns.
3. Pistols.
4. Revolvers.

According to the length of the barrel of a weapon, it can be divided into long-barreled (rifles, carbines), medium-barreled (submachine guns) and short-barreled (pistols, revolvers).

Handguns can also be classified by caliber.

The caliber is the inner diameter of the barrel of a weapon. But, before talking about the caliber of the weapon, it should be said that, according to the nature of the barrel, the weapon can be rifled and smoothbore. A rifled weapon has rifling inside the barrel bore, the number of which is usually from 4 to 6, which are, as it were, helical grooves. The rifling serves to give the projectile (zero) rotational motion, which makes the bullet more stable in flight. For rifled weapons, the caliber is the distance in mm between two opposite rifling fields.

Depending on the caliber, there are: SMALL-CALE weapons (4-6 mm); MEDIUM-CALEBER (7-9 mm) and LARGE-CALEBER (10 mm and more) weapons. We will talk about the calibers of smoothbore weapons later.

2. HUNTING weapons. Distinguish:

1. Hunting smooth-bore guns (for firing bullets, shot, buckshot).
2. Hunting rifled guns (rifles, carbines, fittings).
3. Hunting combined weapons (smoothbore and rifled).

Hunting rifles can have from one to four barrels.

It has long been considered a caliber hunting weapons the number of round bullets that can be cast from one English pound of lead. They can be from 10 to 32. In accordance with this, the following calibers of hunting rifles are distinguished: 10, 12, 16, 20, 32.

3. SPORTS weapons, among which there are training and target weapons (rifles, pistols, revolvers). Sports weapons are usually rifled, small-caliber (5.6 mm).

4. SPECIAL weapons - signal (so-called "flare guns"), starting pistols, gas pistols.

5. HOME-MADE weapons - "self-propelled guns", sawn-off military or sporting weapons. Homemade weapons are extremely diverse. Its detailed classification was developed by B. A. Karagin.

AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS

For firing from firearms (except for some homemade ones), cartridges are used that combine an initiating substance, a powder charge and a projectile (bullet, shot, buckshot).

A cartridge for rifled weapons consists of a metal sleeve, in the bottom of which a primer with an initiating substance is pressed, the explosion of which ignites gunpowder. In the cylindrical part of the sleeve is gunpowder; a bullet is pressed into a somewhat narrowed part (in the muzzle). These are the so-called bottle sleeves. Some revolvers use cylindrical cases.

To equip the cartridges, smoky or smokeless powder is used. Smoke powder was invented in China over a thousand years ago and re-invented in Europe by the monk Berthold Schwartz about 500 years ago. Composed of a mixture of charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter, it is black or dark gray in color, which is why it is sometimes called black powder. When burned, it forms a lot of flame and smoke, burns more slowly than smokeless powder. It is used to equip cartridges for hunting weapons.

Smokeless powder is made from organic fiber (nitrocellulose) treated with acid and an ether-alcohol mixture, burns very quickly, emits little flame and very little smoke. It is used to equip cartridges for combat, sporting and some types of hunting weapons. Compared to black powder, it has much more energy from the powder gases and therefore gives the projectile a much higher muzzle velocity.

Rice. 13. Caliber of the barrel of a rifled handgun:
1 - bore; 2 - rifling fields; 3 - rifling; 7 - chamber;
6 - the initial part of the trunk. (Scheme).

BULLETS. By common device There are shell, semi-shell and all-metal (lead) bullets. According to the shape of the front part of the bullet, live, cylindric, pointed and blunt are distinguished.

By purpose, bullets can be: ordinary and special purpose (sighting and incendiary, incendiary, tracer, armor-piercing). The device of bullets is different depending on their purpose. The most common ordinary pointed bullets have a metal (steel, tombac-clad) jacket, a lead "shirt" and a steel core.

Jacketless lead bullets are used for shooting sports and hunting weapons.

Jacketed and, especially, non-jacketed bullets, when they meet an obstacle (for example, a bone), can be deformed and even fragmented; more extensive and severe damage is caused.

The design of a cartridge for hunting shotguns differs significantly from the design of cartridges for military weapons. They have a sleeve (metal or folder - cardboard), into the bottom of which a primer with an initiating substance is pressed; a powder charge on which a powder wad is superimposed on top, then a projectile, which can be used as a shot, buckshot or bullet.

A shot wad is placed on top, which can be made of felt, cardboard or crumpled paper. The top of the wad is filled with a layer of wax or paraffin. IN last years polyethylene "wad-containers" in which the shot is placed have become widespread. Studies have shown that shot placed in a wad container flies more closely. Sleeves for hunting cartridges, especially metal ones, can be used repeatedly. Cartridges for hunting< ничьему оружию снаряжаются либо фабричным путем, либо самим охотником. При этом используются специальные приспособления.

SHOT are small lead balls. They are either factory made or homemade. Homemade shot is usually called wire rod. Factory shot varies in size, depending on the diameter - from 1 to 5.5 mm. Shot with a diameter of more than 5.5 mm is called buckshot. The amount of shot in the cartridge is different depending on the diameter of the shot and the caliber of the gun.

BULLETS for shotguns can be either in the form of a ball or another shape, sometimes quite a complex device (bullets of Jakan, Brenneke, Witzleben, etc.). For rifled hunting rifles, cartridges are produced with shell or semi-shell bullets.

Rice. 14. Bullets for hunting weapons: round; brenneke bullet; Yakan's bullet; Witzleben bullet; bullet for barrels with a rifled choke. (Scheme)

SHOT MECHANISM

When the cartridge is in the chamber, and the trigger is cocked, then when the trigger is pressed, the firing pin strikes the cartridge primer. The capsule composition (initiating substance) as a result ignites and ignites the powder. When gunpowder burns in a closed space*, a large amount of powder gases are formed, which, with a force of several hundred atmospheres, put pressure on the projectile (bullet or shot). Under the influence of this pressure, the projectile begins to move along the bore of the weapon at an ever-increasing speed. The initial (when a bullet leaves the bore) bullet speed for a Makarov pistol is 315 meters per second, for a Kalashnikov assault rifle - 715 m / "sec, for more modern models of military weapons - up to 2000 meters per second.

In automatic weapons, part of the pressure of the propellant gases is used to reload the weapon.

In the barrel in front of the bullet there is some amount of air, the so-called "pre-bullet air". During the shot, some of the powder gases break through the rifling into the bore in front of the bullet. This pre-bullet air and propellant gases that have broken through can cause damage if the body part or clothing covering it is located very close to the muzzle of the weapon - the blow is delivered by air and gas before the bullet. There may be small tears in clothing, bruises and skin deposits, sometimes even tears in it. Then a projectile (bullet, shot) flies out of the bore, followed by the rest of the powder gases, in which small particles of burnt or incompletely burned powder grains are suspended, metal particles torn from the shell of the bullet or from the shot when they pass through the bore weapons. When gases escape from the bore, a very short flash is observed and the sound of a shot is heard. The shot itself occurs within a very short period of time (for a military weapon, for about one thousandth of a second). This is how the shot happens. Imagining the device of weapons and cartridges, the powder charge and the projectile, and the mechanism of the shot itself, we can determine the DAMAGE FACTORS of the shot.

DAMAGE FACTORS OF THE SHOT

1. FIRE SHOT or parts thereof (bullet - ordinary, special purpose), whole, deformed or fragmented; shot or buckshot, atypical projectiles for improvised weapons.
2. COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF GUNPOWDER AND CAPSULE COMPOSITION: powder gases, soot, particles of powder grains, the smallest particles of metal. As already stated, damage MAY be caused by pre-bullet air.
3. WEAPON AND ITS PARTS - the muzzle of the weapon barrel, the moving parts of the weapon (bolt), the butt of the weapon (during recoil), individual parts and fragments of the weapon that exploded at the moment of firing (which happens, for example, when firing from improvised weapons or when shooting from hunting weapons cartridges with an excess charge of gunpowder).
4. SECONDARY PROJECTILES - fragments (fragments) of objects and barriers damaged by a bullet before entering the human body; fragments of damaged bones during the passage of a bullet through the human body.

Naturally, the traumatic value of the listed damaging factors of the shot is not the same; firearms and powder gases have the greatest damaging effect.

The nature and extent of gunshot injury depends on several factors:

1. from the distance of the shot.
2. From the properties of a firearm (bullets, shot, buckshot), its speed, mass, device, shape and size, the nature of the flight (stable, unstable, "tumbling").
3. From the conditions of interaction between the bullet and the affected part of the body (the direction of the flight of the projectile, which part of the bullet enters the body, the degree of deformation of the projectile, ricochet, the presence and nature of clothing, obstacles hit by the projectile before the body is injured);
4. From the properties of the affected part of the body - the vital importance of the affected organs or tissues, their nature, the presence or absence of bone damage, etc.

In the first place, when determining the nature and extent of gunshot damage, put DISTANCE shot.

For a long time in forensic medicine, three distances of a shot are distinguished:

1. Point-blank shot.
2. Shot at close range.
3. Shot from close range.

It should be noted that some authors distinguish not three, but only two distances: close (including a point-blank shot at it), and not close. We believe that it is necessary to distinguish between three shot distances. This division is due to the fact that each of these distances is characterized by special features, primarily in the circumference of the entrance wound. These signs, their severity depend on the type of weapon, projectile, gunpowder.

Thus, the distance of the shot is determined by the group of features observed within the boundaries of this distance.

In addition to the concept of "shot distance", there is also the concept of "shot distance". The distance of the shot is determined in exact metric units - centimeters and meters.

It is generally accepted that a shot at close range is a shot from a stop to a distance of approximately 5 meters, since it is at these distances in the area of ​​​​the entrance wound hole that the signs inherent in this distance are determined. A shot from a short distance is a shot from a distance exceeding 5 meters or more, up to a distance to which a projectile can fly at all, and at which it is still capable of exerting its damaging effect.

Rice. 15. Zones of influence of factors of a close shot: 1 - zone of action of a flame and powder gases; 2 - zone of action of shot soot, gunpowder grains and metal particles; 3 - the area of ​​action of the grains of gunpowder and metal particles. (Scheme).

CLOSE SHOT

A shot at close range is characterized by a number of signs, which are called signs (factors, components) of a close shot. This:

1. Bullet air.
2. The action of powder gases;
3. Flame action.
4. Action of metal particles.
5. Soot action.
6. The action of the grains of gunpowder.
7. Action of gun grease.
8. The imprint of the muzzle of the weapon.

Let's take a look at the effects of each of these features.

PRE-BULLET AIR

In part, we have already talked about it. In a loaded and ready to fire weapon, there is a small amount of air in front of the bullet in the bore. When fired, this layer of air is compressed by the bullet, receives translational and rotational motion (if the barrel has rifling) and flies out of the barrel first. Usually this air is mixed with some propellant gases. It has a certain kinetic energy, up to about 0.38 kg / m, and can act on an obstacle located at a distance of up to 3-5 cm from the muzzle of the weapon barrel. This column of compressed air can tear loose | clothes, "and acting on skin that is not covered by clothing, hurt or upset it, and sometimes even cause a superficial tear. In the latter case, a hole may form in the skin, into which a bullet then flies. In this case, the entrance bullet hole may not have some characteristic features, for example, the rim of the upset or the rim of the wipe.

POWDER GASES

As already mentioned, it is the powder gases that, when fired, being in the bore under enormous pressure, give the projectile forward motion, make it move at great speed. The main part of the powder gases flies out of the channel 1 of the weapon barrel with high speed following the bullet. In this case, the powder gases are heated. After leaving the bore, powder gases under normal atmospheric pressure quickly lose their pressure, mixing with atmospheric air, and cool down. Therefore, the damaging effect of powder gases on clothing and skin extends over a short distance, up to 5-10 cm. But at this distance, powder gases can have a damaging effect on clothing and skin, and this effect can manifest itself as MECHANICAL, CHEMICAL and THERMAL.

The MECHANICAL effect of gases is manifested in bruises, tears in the skin, subcutaneous tissue and underlying tissues, in tears in the fabric of clothing.

I have seen several cases of fatal damage from blanks, when fired, which only works one damaging factor- powder gases. In one of these cases, the shot was fired point-blank into the region of the heart through clothing. There was an extensive skin rupture in the area of ​​the inlet; the wound channel reached the heart, which was torn. We made experimental shots with blank cartridges of the same series from the same weapon (AK). When fired at point-blank range, powder gases crushed bricks and pierced a 2.5-cm board.

CHEMICAL action of gases: during the combustion of gunpowder, especially smoky, a large amount of carbon monoxide is formed. If powder gases break through into the wound channel and there are damaged blood vessels and outflowing blood in the walls of the wound, then carbon monoxide, which has a great tropism for blood hemoglobin, combines with it, forming a stable compound - carboxyhemoglobin. In this case, the blood and damaged tissues acquire a bright scarlet color.

THERMAL action of powder gases. Gunpowder, especially smoky, at the time of the shot when the powder gases exit the barrel bore, gives a flame and a mass of small incandescent particles. The temperature of the powder gases at this moment reaches several hundred degrees. But this lasts for a very short time (hundredths of a second). When fired at point-blank range or from a distance not exceeding 5-8 cm, hot powder gases act on the affected barrier - clothing or skin. As a result, clothing, hair, skin may fall off, and occasionally clothing may catch fire. With smokeless powder, the flame is much smaller than with smoky powder, and its effect is even shorter. Therefore, the manifestation of the thermal effect of gases when fired with cartridges filled with smokeless powder is insignificant. However, if shots were fired from automatic weapons In turn, the time of action of powder gases is lengthened and clothing may fall off or burn, and skin burns.

SOOT SHOT. When burning black powder, small unburned or incompletely burned powder grains, particles of salts and coal remain, which can settle on the fabrics of clothing or on the surface of the skin in the form of soot - a black-gray coating that has a shape close to a circle or oval. At the same time, the size of the soot deposits is the greater, the greater the distance of the shot. In general, when shot from shotguns with cartridges with black powder, the range of soot does not exceed 1 meter.

Smokeless powder soot has a different composition. It mainly consists of small particles of metals (copper, lead, antimony, iron, zinc). Soot on clothes and skin appears as a dark gray coating, approaching an oval or circle in shape. The maximum distance at which soot can be detected when firing cartridges equipped with smokeless powder is 30-35 cm.

The metals that make up the soot of a smokeless powder shot can be detected chemically, by examination in infrared rays, by electrography and color prints. The sources of these metals, which are part of the soot of a shot, are cartridge cases, a bullet, a primer, and a weapon bore.

GRAINS OF POWDER. Theoretically, the charge of gunpowder is calculated so that it is completely burned out when fired in the bore of the weapon. In practice, it turns out that a certain amount of powder grains (powders) does not burn out or burns out incompletely and flies out of the bore of the weapon when fired. They have a certain, albeit small, mass and kinetic energy, and powder gases give them translational motion. Grains of black powder, as larger ones, can fly up to 300-500 cm and, if an obstacle (clothing or skin) is encountered in the way of their flight, then they hit it or even penetrate into it. Grains of smokeless powder are smaller, most of them burn out when fired, and unburned ones can fly and be deposited on an obstacle at shot distances up to 1 meter.

Naturally, the smaller the distance from the muzzle of the bore to the target, the more densely powder grains will be deposited on it. So, when fired from a distance of 20-25 cm, if an open part of the body is affected, a so-called tattoo with powders can occur, they are embedded in the skin, can be removed from it and examined. To prove the powder nature of such particles, a test with diphenylamine, a test of Vladimirsky for a flash, is used. If at the same time, after the injury, the person remains alive, then such a tattoo remains for a long time in the form of blue dots.

PARTICLES OF METALS. We have already talked about their origin and discovery. Metal particles fly the same distance as gunpowder grains.

WEAPON LUBRICANT. A special mineral oil is used as a lubricant for the bore of the weapon and its moving parts. It can be found on an obstacle (affected clothing or skin) when fired from a distance not exceeding 35-45 cm in the form of separate “splashes”, unless, of course, the weapon was lubricated before firing. Gun grease does not have a damaging effect, but its detection indicates that the shot was fired at close range. Gun grease can be detected by examining the gunshot entry area under ultraviolet light: the grease gives off a bluish glow.

We will talk about the IMPRINT OF THE MUZZLE OF A WEAPON when analyzing the features of a point-blank shot.

The detection of traces of the action of at least one of the listed factors of a close shot is proof that the shot was fired at close range.

When fired from a short distance, the features of the damage are determined mainly by the action of the firearm - bullets, shot or buckshot.

We turn to the consideration of the features of gunshot injuries when fired from different distances.

SHOT POINT SHOT

This is a shot when the weapon with its muzzle is placed close to the clothing covering the body, or to bare skin.

At one time, K. I. Tatiev proposed to distinguish three types of point-blank shots: tight (hermetic) point-blank, point-blank contact shots, and point-blank shots at an angle.

THE MECHANISM AND PHASES OF THE SHOT WITH A TIGHT STOP

The old authors, characterizing the shot with a tight stop, said this: "everything is inside and nothing is outside." In a certain sense, this is true. The bullet pierces the skin, followed by powder gases rushing into the formed wound hole, spreading through the wound channel. Being under high pressure and having great kinetic energy, powder gases expand the wound hole, sometimes tear the skin from the inside, expand the wound channel itself, exfoliate the skin from the subcutaneous tissue, press it against the muzzle of the weapon, bruising and upsetting the skin at the same time. This is exactly how the imprint of the muzzle of the weapon (“stamp mark”) is formed on the skin when fired with a tight stop.

Together with powder gases, unburned and incompletely burned grains of gunpowder, metal particles, soot break through into the wound channel.

When fired point-blank at contact and with a side stop, part of the powder gases breaks between the muzzle of the weapon and the skin, while soot can be deposited on it, and the skin area can also be precipitated by pre-bullet air in the form of a ring or its fragment.

When fired at close range, all three types of action of powder gases are observed. The mechanical action is manifested in the form of tears in clothing and skin, more often cruciform, less often - radiant. The dimensions of the entrance wound hole, as a rule, significantly exceed the diameter of the bullet. Such a wound is very characteristic, it cannot be confused with any other. The chemical effect of gases is manifested in the formation of kao-boxyhemoglobin, which gives the blood and damaged tissues a bright scarlet color. The thermal action of gases does not give external manifestations.

From the inlet, a wound channel begins, which is a trace of the movement of a bullet in the body. The wound channel can end blindly, then a projectile is found in its bottom - a bullet or a shot. In approximately 70% of blind bullet wounds, the bullet is found under the skin at the intended exit site.

CLOSE SHOT

As already mentioned, when fired at close range, not only the projectile (bullet or shot), but also the factors of a close shot, have an effect on the target. We have already discussed how they work. Now it is important for us to determine their role in the morphology of injuries and in the forensic medical examination of gunshot injuries.

Close distance is conditionally divided into three zones:

1. The zone of pronounced mechanical, chemical and thermal action of powder gases is 5-10 cm.
2. The zone of deposition of shot soot, metal particles and gunpowder grains is up to 85-40 cm.
3. Powder grain deposition zone - up to 5 meters.

In the first zone, all factors of a close shot act, but the effect of powder gases is most pronounced. There is also the deposition of soot, grains of gunpowder, metal particles. The inlet is often with torn cruciform or ray-shaped edges, exfoliated from the underlying tissues. If you try to fold the torn edges of the inlet wound hole, then the so-called

“FABRIC DEFECT” or “fabric minus”, the result of the fact that a bullet with high kinetic energy, like a punch, knocks out a section of skin in the path of its movement.

In the second zone, extending up to 35-40 cm, soot of a shot, gunpowder grains, metal particles are deposited on the skin or clothing around the inlet. With increasing distance (from 10-15 to 35-40 cm), the area of ​​deposition of soot, powder grains and metal particles increases, and the density decreases.

In the third zone, when the distance of the shot exceeds 35-40 cm, only the deposition of powder grains and metal particles is found on the skin and clothing around the inlet, and with increasing distance, their scattering zone becomes larger, and the density is less.

Thus, knowing the features of the effect of factors of a close shot and the distance at which they act, analyzing the nature of the damage, we can solve very important questions about the distance, and in some cases the distance of the shot.

SHOT FROM CLOSE DISTANCE

As mentioned, a non-close range is a shot distance exceeding 5 meters, at which the effect of close shot factors is no longer detected. Today, in practice, we can only establish that the shot was fired from a non-close range (if the action of factors of a close shot is not detected) and we cannot detail the distance of a shot within a non-close range, although Scientific research strenuous efforts are being made in this direction (the work of V. L. Popov and his collaborators).

When fired from a short distance, damage is caused only by a firearm - a bullet or shot (buckshot).

Consider the mechanism of action of a bullet, because, along with the features of the powder charge and design features bullets, largely determines the morphology of gunshot damage.

The bullet inflicts a powerful blow to the damaged area of ​​the body, the force of which is concentrated on a very small area. As a result of such an impact, the tissues are compressed, they are torn, skin areas are knocked out (tissue defect), the impact and compression wave is transmitted to the sides. Following the passage of the bullet, part of the gases continues its movement to the sides, a wound channel is formed.

When a bullet flies at a very high speed (more than 250 m / s), it has a bursting or penetrating effect - it tears the skin, knocks out patches of skin, destroys - crushes such dense tissues as bone on its way.

Losing speed, the bullet also loses its penetrating effect, but it also has the so-called wedge-shaped action, squeezing and pushing the tissues apart. In particular, such an action of a bullet is observed at the exit hole in the skin with penetrating wounds.

When the bullet loses speed even more, is, as they say, at the end, it has only a contusion effect, the manifestation of which is only abrasions and bruises at the point of impact by the bullet.

It is necessary to dwell on the so-called hydrodynamic action of a bullet, which is observed when a bullet with a penetrating effect hits a hollow organ filled with fluid or an organ rich in fluid (stomach, brain, liver, spleen). Such an organ, due to low compressibility, is torn and extensive damage is formed.

What has been said about the mechanism of action of a bullet can, to a certain extent, be transferred to shot and buckshot.

Rice. 18. Entrance gunshot bullet wound:
1 - belt of sedimentation; 2 - rubdown belt;
3 - tissue defect. (Scheme). Explanation in the text

Rice. 19. Bullet damage to the flat bone of the skull: on the left - when the bullet enters perpendicular to the surface of the bone: on the right - when the bullet enters at an angle. (Scheme).

Explanation in the text.

We have already said that in a gunshot injury there is a difference between the INPUT hole, the WOUND channel and the EXIT hole (if the wound is through).

The forensic physician, examining a gunshot injury, must decide on the direction of the shot. If the wound is blind, then the solution of this issue does not cause difficulties. In cases of penetrating wounds, it is necessary to establish which wound opening is the inlet and which is the outlet. The solution of this issue is helped by the features inherent in the inlet and outlet wound openings.

If there was a shot at point-blank range or at close range, then the hole around which signs of a shot at point-blank range or at close range are found is the entrance. The situation is more complicated in cases of shots from a short distance.

Earlier it was already reported that a bullet, if it has a penetrating effect, when passing through the skin, knocks out a section of it that is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the bullet, forming a defect of a round or oval shape. A tissue defect is one of the main signs of an entry wound bullet hole.

In exceptional cases, a tissue defect can also form at the exit wound. This happens when a bullet that has already damaged some part of the body, but has not lost speed and, therefore, retained its test effect, encounters some kind of obstacle when leaving the body (for example, the shot was fired in the chest from the front, and the victim in at this point, he was leaning back against the back of a chair) and, overcoming this obstacle, the pull knocks out a patch of skin at the outlet.

The dimensions of the entrance bullet hole, as a rule, are somewhat smaller than the diameter of the path, due to the fact that the skin has the ability to contract.

The edges of the inlet are relatively even, sometimes finely scalloped. The shape of the inlet is close to an oval or rounded.

The surface of a fired bullet is usually covered with soot, sometimes (on the first shot from a lubricated weapon) with gun grease; lead shellless bullets are covered with osalka (a substance such as frozen paraffin). When passing through the skin edges of the formed inlet, the bullet is “wiped” by them, resulting in the formation of the so-called “wiping belt” of a dark gray color, 0.1-0.15 cm wide. holes. It is one of the characteristic features of the inlet.

The bullet, when passing through the skin, upsets the edges of the inlet. A "belt of deposition" is formed in the form of a narrow, "0.1-0.2 cm wide border of deposition skin.

In very rare cases, a belt of sedimentation can also form at the exit wound. The mechanism of its formation is the same as in the formation of a tissue defect at the outlet (see above).

SIGNS OF A BULLET EXIT

• - no tissue defect;
• - lack of rims of precipitation and rubbing;
• - uneven edges, sometimes turned outward;
• - slit-like, irregular shape of the inlet.

The listed features make it possible to differentiate the entrance and exit bullet holes (for shots from a short distance).

It often happens that the victims receive surgical care, in which the edges of the wound openings are excised. Then the peculiarities of the wound channel will help in deciding the direction of the flight of the bullet, in particular if there were damage to the bones. The differences between the inlet and outlet wound openings are especially pronounced when flat bones are damaged.

In some cases, when damage is caused by a burst of shots from automatic weapons, there may be options when there will be several outputs with one inlet,"

DAMAGE FROM SHOTGUN SHOT

Shot or buckshot, together with wads, when fired from a hunting rifle, flies out as a single compact projectile, -- and then begins to disintegrate into separate components. The shot falling apart during the flight gradually loses speed and, if it does not encounter obstacles in its path, falls to the ground. The maximum flight range of shot is 200-400 meters, buckshot - 500-600 meters. Dense felt wads fly up to 40 meters.

For fractions (buckshot) distinguishes:

1. COMPACT (solid) action, when the shot flies in a single beam. It happens in initial stage the flight of the shot when it has a high speed and kinetic energy and therefore the most severe damage occurs. The compact action of the shot is manifested at distances from the stop up to 50-70 cm. One entry wound hole with uneven scalloped edges is formed. Depending on the distance of the shot, the nature and severity of the deposition of close shot factors on clothing or skin around the inlet changes.
2. RELATIVELY COMPACT shot action (buckshot), which manifests itself at a distance of a shot from 50-70 cm to one meter. One large entrance wound hole is formed, and near and around it are small single holes from individual pellets that have separated from the common beam. When fired from a distance of more than one meter, not one, but many small inlet holes from individual pellets are formed - these are damage from shot scree.
3. SHADE SHOT. On the skin in the area where the inlets are located, abrasions and small bruises from pellets that have lost kinetic energy can be detected. The wounds themselves from individual pellets, as a rule, are blind. In rare cases, even from damage by individual pellets, death can occur.

In one of our expert observations, a hunter was wounded by a single pellet when fired from a distance of about 150 meters. The pellet hit the inner corner of the eye, pierced the thin back wall of the orbit, entered the brain and damaged the large cerebral artery. The victim died from an intracranial hemorrhage.

With a compact or relatively compact action of the shot, the most severe injuries occur: with wounds to the head, the skull can almost completely collapse; with injuries chest the heart and lungs can be destroyed. With wounds to the torso and abdomen, shot wounds, even at close range, are usually blind, and only individual pellets can cause penetrating wounds. An X-ray examination can be of great help in the diagnosis of shot wounds.

BLANK DAMAGE

A blank cartridge is a cartridge without a projectile, but with a powder charge. Damage when fired with a blank cartridge occurs only when fired at close range or from a distance not exceeding 5-10 cm, i.e., within the mechanical action of powder gases. Fatal injuries are observed with wounds to the head, chest and abdomen, when the integrity of vital organs is grossly violated. Wounds are usually blind.

POSSIBILITIES FOR IDENTIFICATION OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY YOUR OWN OR ANSWER HAND

Practice shows that inflicting damage with one's own hand is characterized by:

1. In suicidal injuries, the area of ​​injury is often stripped of clothing. Most often, damage is localized either in the head or in the heart. The wound is usually single (but there may be cases of injury by a burst of shots from automatic weapons). The shot is fired either point-blank or at close range.
2. In case of injuries for the purpose of self-mutilation, wounds are usually made in the limbs - hands, feet, forearms, lower legs. The shot is fired at close range. The direction of the shot is convenient for the shooter's hand.
3. Sometimes, in order to hide the traces of a close shot, pads (layers of fabric, boards, etc.) are used, on which the traces of a close shot are partially delayed.
4. This is done in order to imagine that the shot was fired from a distance.

In case of damage caused by another person, a shot can be fired from any distance; localization of damage can be very different; multiple shots may be fired, each of which by itself could have caused lethal injury. In some cases, there may be signs of struggle and self-defense.

METHODS OF RESEARCH OF FIRE SHORT DAMAGES

In the forensic medical examination of gunshot injuries, the following research methods are used:

1. Forensic medical examination of the corpse or examination of the victim.
2. Research photography of damage and physical evidence (including infrared photography).
3. Radiography (survey, layered, microroentgenography, in the boundary rays of Bucca, X-ray diffraction analysis).
4. Electrography.
5. Color print method.
6. Emission spectral analysis.
7. Forensic chemical research (metals, gunpowder).

When examining gunshot injuries, it is usually necessary to resolve the following issues:

1. What injuries does the victim have, what are their nature, severity, prescription?
2. Was the existing damage caused by a shot (shots) from a firearm? If so, what type of firearm?
3. From what distance was the shot fired?
4. Where are the inlet and outlet wound openings located, what is the direction of the wound channel(s)?
5. What was the relative position of the shooter and the victim at the time of the shot(s)?
6. Could the existing injuries have been self-inflicted by the victim?
7. Could the victim, after receiving an injury (wounds), produce active actions requiring strict coordination of movements?

Depending on the specifics of the case, other questions may be asked that require expert resolution. Naturally, as in all other cases of violent death, questions are being resolved about the cause and prescription of death, the survival or post-mortality of injuries, the presence or absence of a disease, and alcohol.

In the broad sense of the word, gunshot wounds mean damage from all types of firearms, from explosions of ammunition (cartridges, artillery shells, mines, grenades, explosives) and their parts (primers, fuses, detonators). The frequency of gunshot injuries depends on the number of firearms that certain population groups have in circulation.

The nature of gunshot wounds depends on many reasons, and primarily on the characteristics of weapons and ammunition.

Firearms and ammunition.

Firearms are divided into artillery and small arms. Small arms are divided into group (machine guns, mortars) and hand (individual). The vast majority of gunshot wounds encountered in forensic practice in peacetime are inflicted from hand weapons. Hand firearms are subdivided into combat (combat rifles, carbines, submachine guns, pistols and revolvers), sporting (small-caliber rifles, pistols and revolvers), hunting (single-barreled, double-barreled), special (flare pistols, starting pistols), defective (trimmings), homemade (self-propelled guns).

Combat firearms are rifled.

Cartridges consist of a bullet, a cartridge case containing gunpowder, and an explosive primer. Bullets are lead (currently in hunting and sporting weapons), shell (shells made of copper, cupronickel, lead core), special-purpose bullets (tracer, armor-piercing, explosive, incendiary), home-made. Distinguish gunpowder smokeless and smoky. When ignited, black powder produces a lot of smoke, soot, and flames.

At the time of the shot, under the action of powder gases formed from the ignition of gunpowder, a projectile (bullet or shot) is ejected from the bore of the weapon. In this case, the bullet, which receives translational and rotational motion around its axis, sets in motion a column of air located in the bore in front of the bullet. The resulting compressed air, when fired from a very close range, acts on the barrier first and can cause patchy tears in clothing, skin, into which the bullet and gases that follow the bullet penetrate.

When fired, in addition to the bullet, the following fly out of the barrel bore:

1) a flame that is formed from the contact of hot gases with oxygen in the air;

2) gases;

3) soot;

4) unburned or partially burnt powders;

5) metal particles that are erased from the bore, from a bullet, from a cartridge case, and also formed from the decomposition of primer products;

6) droplets of gun grease, if the weapon was greased.

In the case of a shot at close range, these additional factors of the shot act on the obstacle and are detected during the study.

Upon contact with the human body, the enormous pressure of the bullet in the form of a shock wave is instantly transferred to the surrounding tissues, causing them to vibrate. Following the bullet moving in the tissues, a pulsating area, which is much larger in volume than the bullet, is formed, which transmits oscillatory movements to neighboring organs and tissues. For example, when a bullet passes through the soft tissues of the thigh near femur its fractures are often observed. Hence, the action of a bullet on the human body is composed of direct action (impact) and the impact of energy transmitted from the side (side action).

When a projectile hits organs containing a liquid or semi-liquid medium, the hydrodynamic effect of the bullet is observed. The latter is that these organs (filled bladder, heart in a state of diastole, head) with gunshot wounds are often torn. The hydrodynamic effect of the projectile is due to the fact that the liquid and semi-liquid (brain) medium is practically incompressible, transmits the energy of the bullet in all directions with the same force, contributing to multiple ruptures.

During the forensic medical examination of gunshot injuries, a number of questions arise. The main ones include the following:

1. Is this damage gunshot?

2. What wound is the input and what is the output?

3. From what distance was the shot fired?

4. What is the direction of the bullet channel in relation to the body of a standing person?

5. What weapon was fired from?

Other questions that often arise, arising from the essence of a particular criminal case. For example, the medical examiner is sometimes asked to determine:

1. The number of gunshot injuries and their sequence.

2. The position of the deceased and the shooter at the time of the shot.

3. Whether the victim moved after the injury.

Diagnosis of a gunshot wound

inlet and outlet.

Gunshot wounds can be through and blind. With a penetrating wound, the bullet passes through the human body and leaves it, while with a blind wound, the bullet lingers in the body due to its insufficient penetrating ability. Sometimes there are tangential wounds, when the bullet only touches the body, causing superficial wounds to soft tissues or forming only an abrasion.

Forensic medical diagnosis of each of the described types of gunshot injuries has its own characteristics. At the same time, the vast majority of gunshot wounds (through, blind) are characterized by certain diagnostic features, allowing to distinguish a gunshot wound from other wounds and, first of all, from stab wounds. During an external examination of a corpse, the diagnosis of gunshot wounds is based primarily on sectional signs of the inlet.

A bullet with sufficient kinetic energy has a penetrating effect, first pulling the skin in the form of a cone, and then knocking out part of it and taking it with it into the wound channel. Thus, the bullet acts as a piercer, punching out the skin in the entry area. This phenomenon was subsequently called tissue defect or "minus tissue".

A practically described sign is determined when the edges of the wound approach each other. If the edges of the wound do not come together, do not close the wound channel, then we can talk about a tissue defect. If the edges come together due to skin tension, then folds form in the corners of the wound, which also indicates a tissue defect.

The shape of the inlet depends on a number of conditions. If the bullet hit the body at a right angle, then the entrance hole will usually be round. If the bullet enters the body at a different angle, then the inlet becomes oval.

When penetrating the body, the bullet wipes the particles that are on it along the edges of the inlet (traces of grease, soot, powder deposits, rust), forming a so-called wiping belt or pollution belt in the inlet circumference. The latter is a grayish ring, under which a second belt is found - the sedimentation belt. Due to the extensibility of the skin, its defect in the region of the inlet is usually 1-2 mm smaller than the diameter of the bullet.

Immediately after the injury, the belt of sedimentation is a ring of pinkish-red color, which dries up and becomes dark brown. The width of the belt is equal to 1-2 mm, its shape depends on the angle of entry of the bullet. When wounded at a right angle, the belt of precipitation will be uniform around the entire circumference; when a bullet enters at an acute angle, the belt becomes in the form of a semi-oval.

When a bullet passes through clothing, the belts of contamination and metallization on the skin may be absent. In such cases, these belts can be found when examining clothes.

In contrast to the inlet, a tissue defect is usually not observed in the outlet, since the wedge-shaped action of the bullet is manifested here. The bullet in the area of ​​the exit hole pulls the skin in front of itself in the form of a cone and breaks through it at its top. Therefore, the edges of even a large exit wound approach each other when approached.

As for the wiping belt (contamination) and traces of gun grease, they can only be detected in the region of the inlet and are not observed in the circumference of the outlet.

The outlet hole is larger than the inlet hole. The edges of the inlet are screwed inward, and the edges of the outlet appear to be somewhat turned outward. However, the latter signs are inconsistent. Therefore, in some cases it is very difficult to distinguish the inlet from the outlet by the size, shape and nature of the edges. Occasionally, multiple exits will be found with one inlet, which may depend on the deformation of the bullet and its separation into separate fragments, which will act as independent projectiles, giving separate exits. This sign is constant when hiding the traces of the crime, when the criminal makes notches on the tip of the bullet.

Determination of shot distance.

In forensic medicine and criminology, three shot distances are distinguished:

1. Point-blank shot.

2. Shot at close range

3. Shot from a long (not close) distance.

SHOT POINT SHOT.

When fired at close range, the muzzle of the weapon rests against the body. In this case, the weapon can be tightly pressed against the body (full hermetic stop), not tightly touch the body only with the edge of the muzzle when the weapon is attached to the body at an angle (side stop).

With full support, the wound channel is, as it were, a continuation of the bore, therefore, all additional factors of the shot will be detected only when examining the wound channel (“everything is inside, nothing is outside”). Powders, traces of soot, gun grease, traces of metal will be found along the wound channel.

If there is a dense tissue under the skin, such as bone, then gases, breaking through into the wound channel, spread over the surface of the bone, exfoliating the muscles and periosteum from it. At the same time, the skin is lifted by gases and pressed down to a piece cut, forming an imprint of the latter (stamps, stamp-imprints).

The most consistent signs of a point-blank shot are skin tears at the entry hole. These gaps are formed mainly due to pre-bullet gases flying out of the bore.

In cases where the muzzle of the weapon is not pressed, but only touches the body with its surface, the described signs of a point-blank shot will be less pronounced. In this case, part of the powder gases breaks through between the skin and the muzzle, giving a small coating of soot around the inlet. If at the time of the shot the weapon was pressed at an angle, then the powder gases and soot partially break out at the open corner, forming a triangular or oval area of ​​sooting. Therefore, by the location of the soot in the area of ​​the inlet, one can judge the position of the weapon at the time of the shot.

CLOSE SHOT.

A close distance is understood as such a distance when not only a bullet, but also additional factors of a shot act on the body: flame, gases, soot, powders, grease. As you move away from the weapon, additional factors dissipate in the form of a cone, expanding in the direction of the bullet's flight. The nature and magnitude of the muzzle flame depend primarily on the type of gunpowder. Black (smoky) powder gives a significant flame and a lot of red-hot unburned powders, which have a significant thermal effect. They can cause singed hair, skin burns, and even clothes on fire. There is a known case of suicide from a revolver loaded with black powder, when clothes and a sofa, on which the corpse of the deceased was located, caught fire from the shot.

The thermal effect of smokeless powder is much less pronounced. Hot powder gases, flying out of the barrel bore, have a bruising effect, causing the formation of parchment stains. The soot resulting from the combustion of gunpowder extends 20-30 cm from the muzzle of the weapon.

The shape of the soot spot can be round or oval, depending on the angle at which the shot occurred in relation to the obstacle.

When fired, the powder does not completely burn out, and therefore unburned and partially burnt powders fly out of the bore and, at close firing distances, are found on the barrier. They can penetrate into the fabric of clothing and even pierce it. Powders can damage the epidermis, causing it to settle. Sometimes they are embedded in the skin, where they are easily detected, the so-called gunpowder tattoo. Powders are found when shot from a distance of 60-70 cm (for short-barreled rifled weapons - revolvers, pistols) and up to 100 cm (for long-barreled - rifles, carbines).

When fired from lubricated weapons, additional factors include particles of gun grease. When shot at close range, they are found around the inlet.

The amount of close shot distance depends on the weapon system, the nature of the ammunition, and the degree of deterioration of the weapon. In practice, traces of additional factors of firing cartridges with smokeless powder from small arms are determined within 100 cm.

In the absence of traces of additional factors of the shot in the conclusion, the expert indicates that no signs of a shot at close range were found. The absence of traces of additional factors does not yet mean that the shot could not have been at close range, since it could have come through some kind of obstacle. For example, when shooting close to the door held by the body of a person on the other hand, additional factors will remain on the door. A similar picture can be observed with crossbows through various gaskets.

SHOT FROM A FAR (not close) DISTANCE.

A shot from a long distance in forensic medicine and criminology is understood as a shot from such a distance when only a bullet acts on the body, and additional factors of the shot (soot, powders, etc.) are not detected. For hand-held combat weapons, this distance will start already beyond 1 m. As for the specific distance long-range shot(10 or 100 m), then according to the autopsy it is not possible to determine it.

LIST OF ARTICLES TO READ

shot distance - quality characteristic the distance from the muzzle end of the weapon to the damaged object, reflecting the nature of the acting damaging factors of the shot. In addition to the concept of "shot distance", there is also the concept of "shot distance". Shot distance - the distance between the muzzle end of the weapon and the object being struck, expressed in metric units (m, cm, mm).

In forensic medicine, three distances of a shot are traditionally distinguished: a shot at point-blank range (a shot at a sealed stop, when the muzzle of the weapon is pressed into the tissue and there is no distance as such, which made it possible to exclude this distance), a shot at an unpressurized stop, when the muzzle end of the weapon comes into contact with the target the entire surface; a shot at an unpressurized edge stop is an emphasis when the muzzle end touches any edge); shot at close range; shot from close range.

Shot point blank (contact shot)

Point-blank shot is such a shot when the muzzle end of the weapon is in contact with clothing or the body. When fired at point-blank range, the nature and severity of changes in the inlet area are due to the translational and rotational action of the pre-bullet air, gases, which also include metals. Pre-bullet air acts mechanically, gases - mechanically, chemically and thermally, a bullet - mechanically knocks out a tissue area with the formation of a tissue defect and a belt of sedimentation caused by friction against the skin, and rubbing resulting from the removal of soot and other substances from the surface of the projectile. The severity of these effects will be different depending on the type of emphasis.

Shot V sealed stop

At the moment of such a shot, the muzzle of the weapon is pressed into the damaged tissue (Fig. 148).

Describing the shot of the named type of emphasis, Tuano said: "Nothing outside, and everything inside." The pre-bullet air breaks the skin, the gases moving after penetrate into the hole formed (Fig. 148 a), exfoliate the underlying tissues to the sides, depositing on them. A bullet and the rest of the gases, which are deposited on the walls of the wound channel, fly out of the bore. In this case, there are no belts of precipitation and rubbing, but after a few hours a belt of drying may appear. Due to tissue retraction, the diameter of the embossed skin area can be 0.1-0.2 cm less than the impact surface of the bullet.

In cases of a shot at a hermetic stop, there is no wiping belt and a soot ring on the head, which is explained by a tight stop, which excludes the penetration of gases into environment, piercing the skin with pre-bullet air and partially broken through powder gases, which formed a hole into which they rushed, larger than a bullet. A shot in an area with closely underlying bones causes tears or tears in the skin with erupted gases.

Shot in an unpressurized stop

This shot occurs when the muzzle of the weapon comes into contact with damaged tissues (Fig. 148 b). In this case, the pre-bullet air also acts first, which tears the skin. The gases penetrating after it not only delaminate the tissues to the sides, but also act in reverse direction, hitting the skin on the muzzle of the weapon, cause tissue defects, a stamp mark (Fig. 149), tear the skin, sometimes forming cruciform and radiant tears. Then a bullet flies out of the bore and the rest of the gases deposited on the walls of the wound channel. Due to the pronounced effect of powder gases, the tissue defect turns out to be much larger than the caliber of the bullet, and in cases of head injuries it exceeds the diameter of the bullet by 2-3 times due to knocking out the skin with gases. Bruising of the skin by pre-bullet gases and a breakthrough of powder gases at the entrance are accompanied by fumigation in the form of a ring or its fragments.

The pressure of powder gases penetrating under the skin exceeds its elasticity, and it ruptures more or less in a radial way. The size of the gaps is different and depends on the type of weapon and charge, the type of stop and the distance of the shot. When shot in the stomach or chest, the dimensions of the inlet exceed the diameter of the bullet, which is explained by the action of pre-bullet air and gases.

Shot in a leaky edge stop

This shot is observed in cases where the edge of the muzzle of the weapon comes into contact with the injured area of ​​the body (Fig. 148 c). Such mutual arrangement of the weapon and the body causes the formation of damage typical of a hermetic stop at the place where the barrel rests against the tissue, and the larger the angle, the more pronounced these manifestations and damages, characteristic of an unpressurized stop. The pre-bullet air and gases from the side formed by the muzzle not in contact with the tissues cause more damage without encountering obstacles in their path than at the point of contact of the muzzle. The inlet, as a rule, acquires the shape of an oval, the rays are longer outside the place of contact of the muzzle. For automatic pistols (PM), the principle of which is based on reloading with a bolt carrier, a shot at the edge stop is, in fact, a shot at close range, since at the time of the shot the muzzle of the barrel does not come into contact with the skin. At such a shot distance, more soot and powders are deposited from the side of the open corner.

The formation of an imprint of the contours of the muzzle of a weapon (punching marks) is manifested by abrasion and can be complete in cases of leaky and partially leaky edge stop (Fig. 150). With a hermetic stop, a punch mark is formed in areas with bones close to the skin and dense tissues that resist the pre-shot air and gases, as a result of which they delaminate the tissues and hit them on the muzzle of the end of the weapon. The presence of a stamp-imprint allows you to judge the individual characteristics of firearms. In peacetime, stamp-prints are quite common when fired from a firearm shotgun in cases of suicide.

The presence of a compensator, a muzzle-braking device eliminates the stop of the muzzle end, which is 2-5 cm away from the barrel casing, which causes a kind of soot overlay at some distance from the inlet, respectively, to the casing windows.

The imprint of the muzzle end of the weapon makes it possible to judge not only the type of stop, but also, in some cases, to establish the brand of the weapon, as well as its position in relation to the body.

A point-blank shot to the head in some cases does not leave a belt of sedimentation, which is explained by the knocking out and rupture of the epidermis by gases. In this case, the bullet rushes into the already formed hole, which has a larger diameter than its caliber. Sometimes the belt of exacerbation is masked by the belt of rubbing, soot and gun grease, which is on the bruised skin bruised by powder gases. A shot in the area of ​​the body with a significant array of soft tissues quite often leaves a belt of injury. The most distinct belt of settling is formed by a shot at an unpressurized stop in a dressed body.

A shot at a leaky stop with black powder can cause scorching of hair, skin burns, and clothing on fire.

Sometimes soot, powders and metal particles pass through the wound channel and are deposited near the outlet, located on the wrong side of the clothing.

When fired at point-blank range, powder gases interact with blood-rich tissues and form carboxymyoglobin, which gives the tissues a pink color. In cases of injury to hollow organs and organs rich in fluid, gases, expanding, form extensive ruptures of organs.

The created negative pressure inside the bore after a point-blank shot contributes to the ingress of blood, brain matter and tissue particles into it, which must be remembered by the investigator who examines the weapon at the scene.

A close distance is considered within the range of additional factors of a shot - powder gases, soot, flame, residues of powder grains and some other substances ejected from the bore of a weapon at the time of the shot (Fig. 151). According to various authors, a close distance is determined from a shot at an unpressurized stop up to 5 m, since within these limits signs inherent in the specified distance can be detected. The close range of a shot for each type of weapon is purely individual and depends on many factors, such as: the quantity and quality of gunpowder, the design of the weapon, the presence of compensators and flame arresters, the power of the weapon and cartridge, the features and ability of the target to resist the destructive effect of gases. But the distance from the muzzle of the weapon to the object being struck is of primary importance. Additional factors of the shot at a given distance have a mechanical, thermal and chemical effect on the affected tissues and leave deposits of soot and metal particles, gunpowder grains and gun grease in the area of ​​the inlet. Damage and overlays caused by these factors are called traces of a close shot. These include the mechanical (punching) effect of the pre-bullet air and powder gases from the bore: tears in clothing and skin at the inlet, tears and delamination of tissues in the wound channel, striking action with the formation of an imprint of the muzzle end of the weapon, settling and subsequent parchmentation of the skin, radial smoothing the pile of clothing fabrics;

- imposition and introduction of soot and metal particles, half-burned and unburned powder grains into damaged tissues and walls at the beginning of the wound channel;

- abrasions on the skin and holes in the material of clothing from blows with grains of gunpowder;

- the imposition of splashes of gun grease on clothing and body when firing from a greased bore of a weapon;

- thermal effect of powder gases, soot and powder grains: falling of the pile of clothing and body hair, burning of clothing material and burns of the body;

- chemical action of gases, causing the formation of carboxyhemoglobin and carboxymyohemoglobin.

The effect of one or another shot factor is determined by the distance from the muzzle of the weapon to the target, which is conditionally divided into three zones: 1) the zone of pronounced mechanical action of powder gases; 2) zone of imposition of soot, metal particles and powder grains; 3) a zone of superposition of powder grains and metal particles (Fig. 152).

First zone- this is the area of ​​​​action of powder gases. It ranges from a leaky stop to 1-5 cm. Within the zone, there are mainly mechanical factors of a shot at a leaky stop. The farther the muzzle end of the weapon is, the more intense the action of powder gases, which are decisive for establishing this distance, is manifested. Gases can pierce and tear clothing and fabrics. In the circumference of the inlet there are deposits of soot, metal, powder grains, traces of thermal and chemical action of the components of a close shot.

Second zoneclose shot - soot coverage area. It starts at a distance of 1-5 cm and ends at a distance of 20-35 cm from the muzzle end. The action of soot is combined with the action of particles of powder grains and projectile metal. The mechanical effect of gases is insignificant, manifested by damage to the epidermis, resembling a parchment stain, intradermal and subcutaneous hemorrhage. The pile on fleecy fabrics around the inlet is arranged in the form of a fan. From the chemical action of gases, colored tissues around the inlet can partially discolor (A.R. Denkovsky, 1958).

At a distance of up to 7 cm shot with smokeless powder, fall of vellus hair and clothing lint is sometimes observed. Smoke powder causes ignition or smoldering of clothes, and burns on the skin I - II degree. Within the zone, the soot has a rich color, gradually fading with increasing distance of the shot. From a distance of 20-35 cm, soot deposits on light fabrics are barely distinguishable, on the skin they are difficult to distinguish, and on dark fabrics they are completely indistinguishable.

The most characteristic for a shot within the second zone is the imposition of soot in combination with the imposition of metal particles and powder grains in the circumference of the inlet.

On short distances shot soot can penetrate to the Malpighian layer, which, together with other data, allows you to more accurately determine the distance of the shot. Together with it, not completely burnt powders are introduced into the skin. At a very close distance, they are located near the edge of the inlet. With increasing distance, the grains of gunpowder are scattered over the entire smoking area to the depth of the skin itself. Just like powders, large particles of barrel metal, cartridge cases and bullets act. When fired from the barrel of a lubricated weapon, splashes of gun lubricant are added to the listed overlays.

Hair from shots from very close distances under the influence of flame and high temperature swells, twists around its axis, loses its luster and original color, and can burn out completely from the action of black powder.

Third zonea close shot appears from a distance of 20-35 cm to 100-200 cm, and for hunting weapons it is 200-300 cm (Table 12). At the beginning of the zone, particles of metal and powder grains act, and then a projectile. This zone L.M. Bedrin (1989) calls the zone of deposition of powder grains. With increasing distance, metal particles and powder grains, having low kinetic energy, hit the body and bounce off, leaving small abrasions and traces of metallization. At the end of the distance, when their kinetic energy is negligible, they sometimes stick to the surface of tissues. As the distance increases, the dispersion becomes greater, and the accuracy becomes less.

The maximum distances of the main traces of a close shot are determined by the type of weapon.

The tissue defect in this zone is formed not by gases, but by a bullet.

Shot With not close distance

Non-close is a distance outside the close shot factors. Usually it exceeds a distance of 5 m. Damage at this distance is caused only by the projectile, having one or another effect, discussed above (Fig. 153). In addition to damage from the action of a bullet, soot deposits may occur at this distance. For the first time, I.V. Vinogradov (1952) drew attention to them, who found that soot can reach the target and be deposited on the target in the area of ​​the inlet at a distance of 100 meters or more in cases where a two-layer target is hit, when the distance between the layers is 0.5- 1 cm

The soot of the shot rushes along with the bullet, remaining on its surface and in the rarefied space that occurs behind the waves formed during the flight of the bullet and, most of all, corresponding to the vortex street. The bullet, having broken through the first layer of the target, falls into the gap between both layers, the soot, as it were, disperses in this space, settles on the back surface of the upper layer and on the front surface of the second layer.

In 1955 I.V. Vinogradov established that the soot of a shot from a distance has a jagged appearance and a gap between the edge of the hole formed by the bullet and the soot overlay surface. These signs are sometimes clearly expressed, but may be invisible.

A shot at a person wearing a bulletproof vest from a distance (more than 10 m) is manifested by the imposition of metal particles and microelements coated with metal on the first layer of clothing. These particles are mainly located on the surface of the bullet, and a sharp impact on a solid barrier drops them onto the surface of the target around the entrance hole, which creates a false picture of a shot at close range, which must be remembered when determining the distance of the shot.

IN practical work sometimes it is necessary to differentiate gunshot injuries with stab wounds, as well as tangential gunshot injuries with cut and chopped wounds. Differential signs of such wounds are presented in table. 13, 14.

Shot distance - the distance from the muzzle of the weapon to the surface, the affected part of the body or clothing.

There are three main shooting distances: point-blank shot, close-range shot, and close-range shot.

shot stop- a shot when the muzzle of a weapon or a compensator (a device for improving the accuracy of combat during firing and reducing recoil) is in direct contact with clothing or skin. In this case, the muzzle can be pressed against the body (full hermetic stop), loosely touch the entire surface of the muzzle (non-hermetic or incomplete stop) and touch the body only with the edge of the muzzle when the weapon is attached to the body at an angle. When fired at close range, the first traumatic effect on the skin and underlying tissues is exerted by the pre-bullet air, the impact continues by the bullet, knocking out a fragment of the skin, and following the bullet, powder gases and other additional factors of the shot burst into the wound channel.

At full stop the bore of the weapon goes directly into the wound channel, and all additional factors of the shot will be in the wound channel.

The entrance wound at full stop has a star-shaped, less often spindle-shaped or irregularly rounded shape, there is a detachment of the skin along the edges of the wound, tears or ruptures of the skin in the circumference of the inlet without soot, the inner edges of the hole and the tissues of the wound channel are covered with soot, there are others in the wound channel additional shot factors. The skin defect in the area of ​​the entry wound exceeds the caliber of the firearm.

From tight contact on the skin, an imprint of the muzzle of the weapon is formed - a "punching mark" due to the fact that gases spreading under the skin lift it, pressing it to the muzzle, this is also facilitated by the suction effect of the discharged space, which is formed in the bore after the shot. The imprint of the muzzle on the body and on clothing is not always found, but its presence is a convincing sign of a point-blank shot. On the skin, such an imprint looks like an abrasion, bruising, or an additional wound.

When shot in the mouth, ruptures of the corners of the mouth in the form of radial cracks, fractures of the jaws, destruction of the skull and brain are observed.

One of the signs of a point-blank shot is a bright red staining of the tissues in the area of ​​​​the inlet due to the formation of carboxyhemoglobin, which is formed from carbon monoxide contained in powder gases.

With incomplete, non-hermetic stop, part of the powder gases breaks between the skin and the muzzle, and soot particles settle on the skin within a radius of up to 4-5 cm.

With side stop gases and soot break out in the area of ​​​​the open corner, where the end of the barrel did not come into contact with the body. The exit hole on the skin when fired at close range has a normal appearance.

Shot at close range (within additional factors)

A close distance is understood as such a distance when not only a bullet affects the body, but also additional factors of a shot (pre-bullet air, thermal effect of a powder charge - gases, powder grains, soot particles, powder gases, soot particles, unburned powders, metal particles, gun grease, primer particles). There are three zones:

1st zone (3-5 cm.) - a zone of pronounced mechanical action of powder gases, the entrance wound is formed due to the bursting and bruising action of powder gases, pre-bullet air and the penetrating action of a bullet. The edges of the wound have ruptures, a wide ring of settling ("ring of air settling") due to the action of pre-bullet air; deposition around the wound of soot of dark gray (black) smokeless powder and black or dark brown smoke powder; particles of incompletely burned powders; scorching of vellus hair or clothing fabric fibers (thermal action of powder gases); traces of gun grease;

2nd zone (20-35 cm)- deposition of soot together with particles of powder grains and metal particles, the wound is formed only by a bullet. Around the wound is the deposition of soot, powders, metal particles, gun grease.

3rd zone (150 cm)- deposition of powder grains and metal particles, the wound is formed only by a bullet, around the wound is the deposition of powders, metal particles.

1. Traces of action of powder gases. Hot powder gases, escaping at high speed after the projectile from the bore of the weapon, when fired at close range and at very short distances, have a mechanical and thermal effect.

The mechanical ones include: punching and rupture, and the temperature ones include scorching, charring and burns. In some cases, a sign of a point-blank shot is the formation of a so-called stamp-imprint.

The penetrating effect of powder gases is expressed in damage to the material of the object outside the area of ​​impact of the projectile itself. But the possibility of penetration depends to a large extent on the properties of the material of the object, primarily its elasticity and mechanical strength.

The same properties affect the shape and size of the damage.

So, in materials with great elasticity, for example, sole rubber, rubberized fabric, even when fired at close range and, moreover, from such a strong combat weapon as a 7.62-mm domestic rifle of the 1891/30 model, only a pinhole is formed with torn edge.

In less elastic materials (cloth and cotton fabrics), when firing from the same rifle from a distance of up to 3 cm from the stop, a tissue defect is formed, the dimensions of which exceed the diameter of the bullet by two to three times.

The penetrating effect of gases on the skin, protected by clothing, when firing from the specified rifle is observed at the following distances of the shot.

When fired at close range, the inlet in the skin has a size that is much larger than the diameter of the bullet.

When fired from a distance of 1 cm, the inlet in the skin is smaller in size than when fired at close range, and sometimes approaches the diameter of a bullet.

The penetrating effect of gases on the skin ceases from a distance of 3 cm.

The explosive effect of powder gases is manifested in the tearing of the edges of the inlet. Depending on the number of tears and their location, the inlets are named - linear (slit-like), star-shaped (radiated) and cruciform.

The shape and size of damage depend on the distance of the shot, the caliber and system of the weapon, the strength and elasticity of the material of the object, and in clothing, for example, on the presence of seams, its moisture content, the tension of the material, the nature of the interlacing of threads, etc.

This relationship can be traced from the data below.

When shooting at cotton fabric - madapolam - (given by V.I. Prozorovsky), tearing of the edges of the entrance bullet hole was observed:

a) from a stop to 1.5 cm - when firing from a 7.62 mm Tokarev pistol (TT) and a 7.65 mm Walter pistol;

b) from a stop to 3 cm - when firing from a 7.63 mm Mauser pistol, model 1908 and a 9 mm Bor-
hardt-Luger (Parabellum);

c) from a stop to 10 cm - when firing from a 7.62 mm domestic rifle mod. 1891/30

It was noted that when firing from the same weapon within the above distances, with the exception of a shot at close range, tears in the edges of the entrance bullet holes were not always formed.

There were no tears in the fabrics of clothing when firing at point-blank range from small-caliber pistols and revolvers.

When shooting at clothing fabrics and shoe materials from a 7.62-mm domestic rifle mod. 1891/30 (according to I. F. Ogarkov) the following phenomena occur:

a) in cotton fabrics, the edges of the inlet were torn at a distance from the stop up to 3 cm; from a distance of 5 cm or more, they were torn only in some cases; from a distance of 10 cm, the explosive action ceased;

b) in the cloth fabrics, tears were formed when fired from the stop up to 5 cm;

c) in leather shoes from the stop to 3 cm;

d) in the rubber sole of the shoe from the stop to 3 cm; there was no tissue defect.

When shooting at cotton and woolen fabrics, with factory-made cartridges from smooth-bore shotguns-12, 16, 20 calibers (according to Ya.

Tears of the edges of the inlet during shots into the skin (according to M. I. Avdeev) were observed in the following cases:

a) at point-blank range from a 7.62 mm Nagant revolver model 1895, a 7.62 mm Tokarev pistol (TT), a 7-65 mm Browning pistol model 1910, an 11.43 mm Colt pistol model 1911 .

b) When firing from a stop to 5-9 cm from a 7.62 mm domestic rifle mod. 1891/30

All the above data are indicative for determining the distance of the shot, since the occurrence of tears also depends on a number of other factors, in particular, the condition of the weapon, the brand of ammunition, etc.

In the presence of weapons and ammunition, which, according to the investigation, the shot was fired, it is necessary to clarify the specified data in relation to this weapon and ammunition by means of experimental shots.

It should be borne in mind that tears in the edges of the bullet hole do not always indicate that this hole is an inlet and is formed by the mechanical action of powder gases. Similar damage is observed at the edges of the exit holes. They occur when fired from a weapon of strong combat (rifle, carbine, etc.) and, as a rule, when the bones of the skeleton are damaged. The mass of bone fragments knocked out of the perforated bone, moving along with the bullet, first causes a rupture of the skin, and then the fabrics of clothing. Sometimes the length of individual rays of tears of the outlet exceeds the length of the rays of the inlet. In these cases, the inlet is determined by the presence of traces of a close shot (subsidence, soot, powders).

When describing a gunshot injury in the protocol, it is necessary to note:

a) the shape of the damage and the nature of the edges of the damage;

b) the size of the damage. When describing a defect of a round shape
it is characterized by its diameter. With an oval-shaped defect, the major and minor axes of the oval are measured in mutually perpendicular directions. In this case, the torn edges of the fabric around the defect are included in the determined dimensions, that is, the measurement is made between opposite points of the defect lying on
the base of the flared edge. Separately, each ray of tear is measured with an indication of its direction.

Formation of a stamp-imprint (stamps). When fired point-blank or almost point-blank, that is, with a small gap between the target and the muzzle of the weapon, sometimes an imprint of the muzzle end or some part of the weapon (ramrod, namushnik, casing) located in the plane of the muzzle is formed on the surface of the affected object weapons. This imprint is observed both on the skin and on the fabrics of clothing. According to the configuration of the imprint, in some cases it is possible to determine the caliber and type of weapon, and sometimes the number of barrels of hunting weapons.

Temperature effect of powder gases. gases, having high temperature, affect clothing fabrics, the skin of the body, causing scorching, charring, burns and, in some cases, inflammation.

Singed. fabrics white color made from fibers of plant origin, exposed to high-temperature powder gases, acquire a color from yellow to dark brown; while the structure of the fibers that make up the threads of the fabric remains unchanged. In wool materials, depending on the degree of shedding, in addition to color changes, there is also a structural change in the material of the hairs. Structural change is expressed in the appearance of air bubbles both in the medulla and in the thickness of the hair. With intense burning, the number and volume of air bubbles increase, as a result of which individual sections of the hairs swell unevenly (swell), and the hairs bend or twist. Light hairs become dark yellow to dark brown in color. Traces of light delamination, marked by yellowing of the hairs, are difficult to recognize by visual examination, as they are covered with soot. Signs of scorching on woolen materials that have a color that differs little from the color of scorched hairs are detected using a magnifying glass or microscope.

Charring of clothing material is the result of a slow process - smoldering or a fast process - ignition. The charred edges of the entrance gunshot holes are very fragile and crumble from light touch, forming a hole of irregular shape. Depending on the nature of the fibers that make up the fabric, the latter in a charred state has a color from dark brown to black. Areas of charred woolen clothing give off the smell of burnt horn.

We give approximate data related to the temperature effect of powder gases on clothing materials.

When firing with black powder, shots from revolvers of old systems and a 7.62-mm Nagan revolver of the 1895 model in the range from stop to 10-15 cm cause the following phenomena: burns of the skin, inflammation, smoldering and browning of clothing fabric (according to M. And . Avdeeva). Shots from a hunting smooth-bore shotgun in the range from stop to 50 cm quite often cause burnt edges of the inlet on clothing (according to Ya-S. Smusin).

When firing with smokeless powder, shots from a 7.62-mm Tokarev pistol (TT) in the range from stop to 8-10 cm sometimes cause singing, which is expressed in browning of the clothing material around the inlet (according to A. P. Belov and S. D. Kustanovich).

Shots from rifle sawn-off shotguns in the range from stop to 30 cm sometimes cause scorching of clothing fabrics (according to B. R. Kirichinsky).

Shots - from a hunting smooth-bore shotgun at close range sometimes cause burnt edges of the inlet, and in the range from stop to 25 cm, only slight singing is observed (according to Ya-S. Smusin).

Not every shot at the above intervals from the same weapon with ammunition loaded with smokeless powder causes the fibers of clothing around the inlet to be scorched. Singing is noted only with a sharp increase in the pressure of powder gases at the muzzle of the weapon barrel.

The reasons that give rise to muzzle pressure, which is many times higher than the norm, are diverse and difficult to take into account. Such reasons include bore wear, shortening of the barrel (cutoff), discrepancy between the calibers of the bullet and the weapon (the diameter of the bullet is less than the diameter of the bore in the margins), reduced sensitivity of the primer, the moisture content of gunpowder, etc.

2. Traces of soot. Soot is a small solid and liquid particles formed in the bore of a weapon during the explosive decomposition of gunpowder and percussion composition. Soot mainly consists of metals and their compounds.

Powder gases and the soot suspended in them escape from the bore not in a continuous jet, having a cylindrical or conical shape, but in the form of a jet consisting of a number of successive uneven portions (condensations) of gas.

The flight range of soot particles depends on the type, system, caliber of weapons, grade and amount of powder charge. Soot, meeting with an obstacle, settles around the bullet hole in a black-gray spot of a rounded shape, and sometimes in the form of two spots of a rounded shape, located at some distance from each other. Such isolated termination spots occur when a strong combat weapon (rifle, carbine, etc.) is used, either when fired point-blank or almost point-blank, or when the weapon is not firmly fixed in the hands at the time of the shot.

The spot surrounding the bullet hole is called the main (primary) field of soot deposition. A spot located away from the bullet hole is an additional (secondary) field of soot deposition. An additional field of soot deposition occurs after the main one at the moment of recoil of the weapon, that is, after the barrel moves quickly a certain distance to the side. If the displacement of the trunk is small, the secondary field of termination remains within the primary field, and the overlap of the two fields is more pronounced.

Cases have been registered when, when fired at close range, only an additional (secondary) field of soot deposition is found on the outer surface of the tissue, which is located away from the bullet hole. In these cases, the bulk of the soot is on the opposite side outerwear, on the fabrics of underwear and in the bullet channel.

Depending on the distance of the shot, the type and amount of gunpowder, the type, system and caliber of the weapon, the placement of soot particles within the boundaries of the spot is uniform or uneven.

The main types of uneven pumping are ring-shaped, beam-shaped and spotted.

Ring-shaped infilling is characterized by the alternation of dark and light zones, that is, the presence of a number of concentric zones around the bullet hole, which differ from each other in width and the amount of soot per square centimeter of area. Radiation infiltration differs from annular infiltration by the presence of thickenings radiating from the central zone in the form of rays. Spotty sooting differs from annular soot by the presence of soot thickenings in the form of spots of various shapes, which are located within the total area of ​​soot deposition.

The deposition of soot around the bullet hole indicates a close shot and that this hole is an inlet.

Detection of ring-shaped, ray-shaped and spotted inkling by ordinary examination is possible only on light-colored clothing fabrics. Detection of soot on dark or contaminated surfaces presents significant difficulties.

Soot, meeting with the fabric of clothing or skin, not only settles around the bullet hole, but also penetrates into the thickness of the material, being located between the fibers of the fabric. The depth of penetration of soot particles, for the same type of weapon, depends on the distance of the shot and the density of the tissue encountered. As the distance of the shot increases, the depth of soot penetration decreases, and from a certain distance, soot particles settle only on the surface of the fabric.

We provide indicative information for determining the distance of a shot based on the signs of deposition of soot of smokeless powder.

The 7.62 mm Nagant revolver of the 1895 model, when fired at white material from distances of up to 15 cm, gives a clearly visible filling; from 15 to 20 cm - slightly noticeable; over 20 cm, there is no infilling (according to M. I. Avdeev and N. V. Popov).

The 7.62-mm Tokarev pistol (TT) when fired at a white material (coarse calico) from a distance of less than 45 cm gives a clearly visible blocking (according to I. V. Skopin).

The 7.63 mm Mauser pistol, when fired into white material, gives visible to the eye pumping from distances less than 30 cm.

The 7.65 mm Walther pistol and the 9 mm Borchardt-Luger pistol cause visible under normal conditions blotting of white material when fired from distances less than 25 cm (according to V. I. Prozorovsky).

The 7.65 mm Browning pistol causes visible blotting of white material when fired from distances of less than 15-20 cm (according to N.V. Popov).

7.62 mm domestic rifle - model 1891/30 causes a clearly visible infiltration of white material when shot from distances less than 30 cm. On materials of gray and dark gray, soot is clearly visible when shots are fired from the stop to 5 cm. Infiltration is a blackish rounded spot with a diameter of 3 cm to 8 5 cm

When shot from a distance of 7-15 cm, a faintly noticeable spot of a rounded shape without visible borders along the periphery is observed. When shot from distances exceeding 15 cm, soot is not noticeable.

On darker materials than the above, soot is detected by ordinary inspection when shots are fired from the stop to 5-10 cm.

On the inner layers of clothing, soot is observed when shots are fired from a distance of up to 5-7 cm from the stop.

The deposition of soot on the skin, protected by clothing or leather shoes, is observed constantly with shots from a stop up to 3 cm and inconsistently - from 5 cm to 15 cm. When shots from distances exceeding 20-25 cm, soot is not noticeable.

The belt of soot, around the inlet in the skin, has a width of 1.5 mm to 4 mm (according to I. F. Ogarkov).

When determining the distance of a shot by the nature of pumping, it must be borne in mind that the first shot from a launched weapon (the bore is covered with dirt and rust) can create a false impression of a close shot, since particles of dirt and rust fly a much greater distance than powder soot.