Firearm-Related Mortality: A Review of Four Hundred-Forty Four Deaths in Diyarbakir, Turkey between 1996 and 2001

Abstract

The current study is based on a retrospective investigation of firearm deaths in Diyarbakir, which were autopsied by the Diyarbakir Branch of the Council of Forensic Medicine during the 6- year period. Four hundred-forty four deaths were investigated from January 1996 through December 2001, including homicide (296 cases, 66.7%), suicide (120 cases, 27%) and accidental shootings (28 cases, 6.3%). The age range of all firearm deaths in the study period was 5 to 75 years with a median age of 29.8 years. The majority were in the groups aged 16-25 years (38.7%). In the homicide group, 248 subjects (83.8%) were male, and 48 (16.2%) were female. The 31.1% of the homicide victims were in the group aged at 20-30 years. Of the 120 suicide victims, 56 (46.7%) were in the group aged 16-20 years. The head was by far the favoured site, accounting for 82 (68.3%) deaths: entry wounds in the right temple accounted for 72 of these. Twenty-eight cases were accidental shootings and 18 of them were male (64.3%). Twelve of the 28 accidental victims (42.9%) were in the group aged 0-10 years. The eight cases were due to their own accidental shootings, and the remaining 20 cases were shot by others. Our findings show that the contributing factors for increasing death by firearm are terrorists' activities, traditional habits of obtaining and using guns and blood feuds.

An Analysis of Firearms-Related Deaths Between 1993-2010: A Retrospective Study

“…In several studies in our country this rate has been reported as between 11.70-32.7% [6,8,[33][34][35] and in studies in other countries as 6.5-73.9%. [5,27,32] Researchers have reported a strong relationship between access to firearms and suicide.…”

“…This rate has been reported as ranging between 0.13-24% in previous studies. [4][5][6]8,11,[33][34][35] Copeland and Ornehult made a detailed study of accidental firearms deaths together with crime scene investigation and it was reported that the firearms accidents could have occured as a result of playing with firearms, showing the weapon others or because of faulty firearms. [39,40] These features are similar to the findings of accidental deaths in the current study.…”

“…Azmak, [8] Kohli [5] and Goren [34] reported that the majority of cases that died as a result of firearms injury died at the crime scene, during transportation or in the emergency services. Similar to the findings of other studies, the majority of the cases in the current study died within 24 hours.…”

Medicolegal Childhood Deaths in Adana, Turkey

“…This is attributed to the local characteristics of the province of south and southeast cities of our country. Falling off roofs and balconies stems from the fact that family members, including children, tend to sleep on roofs and balconies without banisters and barriers in order to alleviate the intense heat and humidity in this part of the Turkey in summer months (Gören et al 2003a). Burns and scalds are also significant in childhood home injuries.…”

Konya’da Çocukluk Çağında Meydana Gelen Ateşli Silah Yaralanmasına Bağlı Ölümler

“…ise %40.5 oran›nda bafl-boyun, %14.9 oran›nda kar›n, %12.6 oran›nda gö¤üs bölgesinin yaraland›¤›n› bildirmifltir (27). Çal›flma-m›zda da Gören ve ark.…”