Unusual homicide by air gun with pellet embolisation

Ng’walali, Paul M.; Ohtsu, Yuki; Muraoka, Norimasa; Tsunenari, Shigeyuki

doi:10.1016/s0379-0738(01)00547-3

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However other studies have shown that injuries from airguns can be more serious and in some instances potentially life threatening [10]. Although rare, deaths have occurred through their use or misuse [11,12] and in a 12-month period three separate and unlinked cases were reported where children received airgun pellet shots to the chest [13]. At least 35 deaths due to air gun discharge have been recorded in the medical literature [8] and the news media record other instances of fatalities from air weapons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into the behaviour of air rifle pellets in ballistic gel and their interaction with bone

Wightman

Beard

Allison

2010

Forensic Science International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although air weapons are considerably lower in power than other firearms, there is increasing concern that serious injuries can result from their misuse. The present study was therefore carried out to improve understanding of the terminal ballistic behaviour of air rifle pellets. Pellets were fired into ballistic gel under a variety of conditions. The pellets penetrated further than anticipated from their low cross-sectional density, and Bloom number was not necessarily a good guide to gel behaviour. Pellet penetration into the gel decreased with increasing gel concentration, and appeared to be linear at higher concentrations. Pointed pellets penetrated up to 50% further than rounded pellets. Power and range affect penetration, but other factors are also important, and power alone is not a simple guide to potential penetration. Test firings were also carried out firing pellets into ballistic gel that contained sections of animal bone. Computed tomography (CT) and visual observation were employed to record the interactions. CT scanning showed potential as a tool for examining pellet damage. The bone appeared to be undamaged, but the pellets were severely deformed on impact. If the pellet strikes the bone at an angle, less energy is absorbed by the impact and the pellet fragments may ricochet and cause further damage in the gel. A tentative model is proposed for estimating the energy absorbed by the impact.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into the behaviour of air rifle pellets in ballistic gel and their interaction with bone

Wightman

Beard

Allison

2010

Forensic Science International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…5 When reviewing literature on the subject, only a few lethal outcomes resulting from being shot by an air gun have yet been described. Most often, children have been the victims, 3,9,10 sustaining injuries by the pellet entering the brain cavity [11][12][13][14] or the chest through the intercostal spaces. 15 Milroy et al 16 presented five cases of air rifle fatalities.…”

Section: General Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatal laryngeal oedema in an adult from an air rifle injury, and related ballistics

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Air guns (air pistols and rifles) are already recognized as being potentially lethal. The diabolo pellet has a calibre of .177 (4.5 mm), a 1250 fps velocity, is high energetic, and is most commonly used in such weapons. In the presented case, the victim sustained an air rifle injury to the neck. The pellet passed through the thyroid cartilage, subsequently causing the extensive laryngeal swelling with haematoma around the pellet channel which fatally obstructed the airway. It is estimated microscopically that at least a number of hours must have passed from the injury to the time of death. For this case, a shooting distance was estimated by using experimental shooting values compared to physics formulas for accelerated motion. The case under question has confirmed an applicable legal approach that can be utilized by countries to classify air rifles as being as harmful as other firearms, especially those with high muzzle velocities.

show abstract

“…Increasing numbers of crime and suicide cases, as well as accidents involving the use of so-called pneumatic guns, are reported both in Poland and worldwide (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Effect of Shots Caused by Projectiles Fired from Air Guns with Kinetic Energy Below 17 J

Smędra

Barzdo

Kedzierski

et al. 2013

Journal of Forensic Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pursuant to the Polish Weapons and Ammunitions Law (Legal Gazette No 53/1999 item 549 with subsequent amendments), air guns with kinetic energy of the fired projectiles below 17 J are not regarded as weapons. The aim of the study was to assess the potential effect of shots caused by projectiles of various mass and structure fired from air guns with kinetic energy below 17 J on human soft tissues. As a model of soft tissue, we used 20% gelatin blocks. After shooting, we measured the depth of gelatin block penetration by pellets fired from various distances and compared these results with autopsy findings. The results demonstrated that examined pneumatic guns may cause serious injuries, including damage to the pleura, pericardium, liver, spleen, kidneys, femoral artery, and thoracic and abdominal aorta. Experiment shown that gelatin blocks do not reflect fully the properties of the human body.

show abstract

Unusual homicide by air gun with pellet embolisation

Cited by 15 publications

References 13 publications

An investigation into the behaviour of air rifle pellets in ballistic gel and their interaction with bone

An investigation into the behaviour of air rifle pellets in ballistic gel and their interaction with bone

Fatal laryngeal oedema in an adult from an air rifle injury, and related ballistics

Experimental Effect of Shots Caused by Projectiles Fired from Air Guns with Kinetic Energy Below 17 J

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About