Bullet Stria Examination Essay

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

I think the interesting thing about working with firearm evidence is learning about different types of weapons, identifying different markings on bullets and learning about the bullet trajectory and distance. The challenging part would be examining bullets that are broken or mutilated.

Looking back at the physical evidence there were two gunshot wounds. If you go back to the ballistic test, the gun that was used took some parts of the structure’s head. If he shot himself with the gun that was similar to the horse pistol, that would’ve been enough for him to die. It seems unlikely for him to be able to shoot himself once with that gun, proceed to reload the gun and shoot himself once more. He would’ve been dead after one shot and would not be able to shoot himself again with that kind of gun.

I would start by collecting the suicide note and have the lab examine it for any fingerprints or any other DNA. Also I would have a handwriting analyst examine the writing on the note compared to the history of the victim’s day-to-day handwriting. Then I would start to examine the body. I would look at enter and exit wounds from the bullet to see it they are in a line that would make sense of a suicide. I would check the firearm for fingerprints and do a ballistics test on the bullet to make sure it came from that specific gun. Also I would check the body for any kind of physical bruising or wounds that would suggest a struggle.

A large knife covered in blood, a blood-stained shirt, and shell casings were found by investigators in the victims’ home. The casings typically come from an AK-47 rifle.

We found a 40 caliber at the house that matched the casings from the scene, we diagramed the location and the condition as well as photographed before recovering and securing. I examined to see if the weapon was loaded and it was not. I marked the position of the cylinder, using two pen marks I put on the top of the cylinder alone each side of the top strap of the frame. I noted the loaded casings found in the box of ammunition in the field notes. It was then bagged and sent to the lab.

The official report states that there was a twelve round magazine capacity, twelve casings, and one round that was not fired. The thirteenth round was possible when there is a full magazine and one in the chamber of the pistol. Six of the twelve fired bullets were recovered and analyzed. Five were forensically identified to have been fired from Wilson’s sidearm. The one bullet that could not be matched was the one recovered from the vehicle door. That round was too damaged to compare and identify. All twelve casings collected from the scene of the shooting were found to have come from Wilson’s weapon.

In addition , they also have to investigate. When the FBI arrive to a crime scene, they first look to see if they can see the weapons. Finding the weapon is a crucial step to finding the killer. A gun leaves the same unique patterns of marks on every bullet it fires. If the crime scene is by a river then police divers search for missing weapons at the bottom of river, lakes, and ponds. There may, however, be more than one crime scene.

After interviewing many witnesses about what they heard, the FBI had to turn to the physical evidence to determine how many shots were fired that day. The major physical evidence that was found at Dealey Plaza that lead the FBI to a conclude how many shots were fired that day was the number of bullet casings found on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building. There on the sixth floor, there were three bullets casings all from the same rifle that is lead to believe to be the murder weapon of JFK’s assassination.

After police investigation, there were many options on account how and who murdered the victim. The gun shot was small and there was insignificant amount of powder remaining on the victims’ body. Dr. Gore, a surgeon in Civic Hospital, checked the wound and discovered that the shot was fired close to the victim. From the bullet hole it look like an amateur fired the gun.

Do you know what the steps are when it comes to processing firearms evidence? The first step to processing a firearm as evidence is to put gloves on your hands. Then you should take pictures of the gun when you find it at the crime scene. Make sure the picture is as clear as possible because it will be used in the court room. Make sure you included some form of measuring the gun that is in the picture. Next, take the bullets out of the gun and put the bullets in a line. Take a picture of it so the court can see the amount of bullets that was found at the crime scene in each gun. You also need to take pictures of all of the empty bullet shells that you may

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

The victim sustained a gunshot to the abdomen and in the head. After analysing photographs of the crime scene and the bullet entries in the body, the investigators were able to determine the trajectory of the bullet’s path and discovered that for the gunshot to the abdomen the assailant was approximately 2 feet away. After being shot in the abdomen, the victim attempted to distance herself when she fell and the assailant came closer and shot her in the head. The two bullets were retrieved from the body so they could examine the bullet’s tool marks and they discovered that the bullets are a .38 caliber. The bullet’s lands and grooves will later be used to match the bullets to the assailant’s

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

The case that was researched is the case of the people vs. Robert Blake. In this case it is stated that the husband Robert Blake murdered his wife Bonnie Bakley. It was determined that Mr.Blake fired shots from a world war 2 vintage 9mm Walther P38 Luger pistol. The weapon was found in a dumpster near where Mr. Blake parked his car and was covered with dirt and motor oil. The 9mm pistol was cleaned and tested fired. And the gun was fired to see if it would leave gunshot residue behind after being fired.