Self inflicted gunshot wound caused by a home-made gun – medico-legal and ballistic examination

Hiss, Jehuda; Shoshani, Ezra; Zaitsew, K.; Giverts, P.; Kahana, Tzipi

doi:10.1016/s1353-1131(03)00040-3

Cited by 22 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…In cases where the caliber of the cartridge does not correspond to the caliber of the barrel, attempts to tighten or fix the cartridge into the chamber are common (i.e., with the use of plasticine, a strip of fabric, tinfoil, etc.) (6). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The literature (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) shows that persons using home-made guns to commit suicide were exclusively men. Women who commit suicide with a firearm typically use guns of serial production.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Worldwide, cases in which a home‐made firearm is used to perform an intended suicide are very rare. The literature describes only tens of such cases by means of these unusual firearms (1–8). Unfortunate accidents (9,10) and homicides (11,12) are extremely uncommon.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Unusual Zip Gun Suicide—Medicolegal and Ballistic Examination

Hejna

Šafr

2010

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Home-made guns are imitations of typical firearms and usually have handgun characteristics. This article presents an unusual case of a suicide carried out by means of a fatal gunshot wound to the head using a home-made zip gun. A 49-year-old male, with a history of paranoid psychosis was found dead in the dwelling place of a family house. The investigation at the crime scene did not lead to suspicion of a gunshot wound because of the unusual nature of the firearm used. A medical examiner diagnosed an opened head injury as the primary cause of the victim's death. The autopsy findings provided immediate grounds for further inspection of the crime scene. Subsequently, a simple zip gun, which had been overlooked during the scene investigation, was discovered. An undeformed projectile recovered from the victim's head was consistent with the use of the home-made firearm. Following the completion of the investigations and autopsy, the death was classified as a suicide.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Unusual Zip Gun Suicide—Medicolegal and Ballistic Examination

Hejna

Šafr

2010

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…In contradicting the rule of clothing exposure prior to gunshot in (attempted) suicides, the authors do not address the possibility of whether such a rule applies in the case of self-inflicted non-suicidal wounds [3,4]. Also in depicting similar cases, the casuistic mainly refers to the weapon used as a gun or a firearm, probably a non-professionally manufactured weapon [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-infliction of faked gunshot wounds in absence of overt psychopathology

Sinani

Vyshka

Ymaj

2011

Forensic Science International

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“…In the United States, their use has been reported among juveniles who cannot afford or acquire standard weapons (so-called "zip guns"); they are also found in townships in South Africa and in Israel. 1,5 Three unusual cases are reported where movement of firing pins could only be achieved by directly impacting the ends of the pins. 1 Most of these firearms, however, rely upon the standard arrangement of either a sprung hammer or a trigger causing a firing pin to impact upon the percussion cap of a cartridge, resulting in detonation of powder and the production of propellant gases.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Constructed Shooting Devices Utilizing Manually-Impacted Firing-Pins (Suicide Machines)

Härtwig

Tsokos²,

Schmidt³

et al. 2010

American Journal of Forensic Medicine &Amp; Pathology

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Three cases of suicide are described where deaths were due to single gunshot wounds to the head from self-constructed shooting devices. The victims were twin brothers aged 27 years, and a 53-year-old male. The firearms were manufactured by the victims who used machined metal tubes with 12-gauge shotgun and 7.65 mm ammunition, respectively. The mechanism of action in all cases relied upon direct impact on the firing pin rod; with a hammer in 2 cases, and a rock in the third. Homemade firearms are manufactured globally for use in criminal activities, although they tend to be found more often in countries and among groups where there is limited access to commercially manufactured weapons due to economic or legal constraints. Most devices use either a standard sprung hammer or trigger mechanisms. Given the unusual and cumbersome nature of the firing mechanism in the reported cases, it is likely that these firearms were specifically manufactured for the purpose of suicide.

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Self inflicted gunshot wound caused by a home-made gun – medico-legal and ballistic examination

Cited by 22 publications

References 5 publications

An Unusual Zip Gun Suicide—Medicolegal and Ballistic Examination

An Unusual Zip Gun Suicide—Medicolegal and Ballistic Examination

Self-infliction of faked gunshot wounds in absence of overt psychopathology

Self-Constructed Shooting Devices Utilizing Manually-Impacted Firing-Pins (Suicide Machines)

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