Ballistic expertise plays an important role in the investigation of particularly serious crimes, so the main purpose of such a study is to give the investigator answers to all questions relating to the crime. With the help of such an examination, the investigator will be able to accurately determine from which place the shot was fired.
What is the essence of ballistic examination
Ballistics is a type of forensic examination. Only with the help of it can one establish whether a crime was committed with the help of firearms or with the help of ammunition. Also, with the help of such an examination, important facts can be established, for example, how the injured and the shooter were located.
Experts will be able to accurately determine how many shots were and restore the full picture of the crime, then to punish the perpetrator and prove his involvement in the crime.
What acts as an object of ballistic examination
In ballistic examination, the objects are:
- Firearms, traumatic, pneumatic and even gas weapons.
- Some details of the weapon are subject to research.
- Explores bullets, buckshot, cartridges and fractions.
- Experts check the inlet and outlet.
- Traces are being investigated that may indicate the use of weapons.
- The scene of the incident is carefully examined.
- If the weapon has modifications, then the material and the tool that was used for this are examined.
Examination is subject to absolutely everything that has at least something to do with crime using firearms.
How the direction of the shot is determined
Many factors can indicate the direction of the shot, so we will consider each of them individually:
- First of all, experts examine the inlet and outlet holes of the through holes from the bullet.
- An excellent hint can serve as a wound channel, in another way it is also called a blind channel in the subject.
- The presence of additional traces of the shot is also taken into account.
To accurately determine the direction, experts must first find the damage caused by the bullet when fired. For example, if there is dense and solid material in the path of the projectile, then the projectile pierces it, while initially compressing the obstacle, and then bending in the direction in which it moves. You can determine the direction of the bullet by the rounded edges on the punctured object. In this case, in the place where the hole turned out, there may be traces of soot and gunpowder. Experts can see that the outlet is much larger than the inlet and has an indefinite shape.
The methodology for investigating murders using firearms involves a ballistic examination, while experts can check the weapons on various materials, for example, punching a tree, the hole has a rounded shape, the sheet has curved edges, and falling into the glass, the bullet leaves a funnel-like mark.
How to determine the shot distance
In ballistic expertise, there are clear notions of shot distance. The distance begins to count from the cut of the barrel of the weapon to the object itself. For real experts, it will not be difficult to carefully examine the hole and establish at what distance the shot was fired. A characteristic hole remains on the obstacle by which it can be determined whether the shot was fired point-blank, whether it was a close distance or whether it was fired from a long distance.
How to identify a point-blank shot
Determining the range of the shot plays an important role in the investigation of the crime. Therefore, this moment is given great attention. A point-blank shot is considered when the muzzle of a weapon touches an obstacle. Recognizing such a shot for a ballista does not cost anything, since there is a characteristic hole and an imprint from the muzzle cut remains. In addition, a specialist, without seeing a weapon, will be able to determine what kind of weapon it is and its caliber. Additionally, the expert can evaluate the partial damage that is characteristic of a point-blank shot and burns on an obstacle. Particles of gunpowder may remain inside the wound canal.
Short and Long Shots
A close-range shot will differ significantly from a point-blank shot. When a shot is fired at close range, a mark from the temperature and mechanical action of the weapon may remain on the obstacle. In this case, experts may have difficulty, since determining the range of exposure will be much more difficult. If the shot was fired from a long-barreled weapon, then traces of gunpowder can be at a distance of 10 cm, and the soot itself can settle at a distance of about 50 cm.
Short-barreled weapons have smaller parameters. In the case when a shot is fired from a long distance, only one projectile can act on the subject, and on the hole itself you can notice slight contamination from the grease.
How to determine where a shot was fired from
It is very important for the examination to determine the place from which they were shot, because this is the only way to prove that the murder actually happened, and not an accident. In ballistics, methods are used to determine the location of the shooter, which allow with almost 100% accuracy to establish where the criminal was. As soon as experts establish the distance from which the shot was fired, the sector in which the killer could be located is established.
One of the most effective ways to determine the shooter is considered to be a sight. Specialists visually try to reproduce the flight path of the bullet, while particular attention is paid to the damage that is in its path. If there are at least two damages from a bullet, then it will be quite simple to establish its trajectory.
For sighting, you can use a laser beam and binoculars. Thanks to this method, sometimes it is even possible to establish the growth of the offender. Sighting can be effective if the shot was fired from close range, since at a long distance the bullet can change its path, encountering obstacles. In this case, a scene diagram is created and the calculation is made graphically. The force of gravity, which acts on the bullet throughout its flight, is taken into account, and, of course, it is worth remembering the air resistance, which slows down the movement. Sights are a great way to calculate the whereabouts of a criminal, but more traditional methods should not be forgotten.
Naturally, other methods are also used by experts, for example, all traces at the scene of an incident are examined, these may be traces of shoes, cigarette butts, and sleeves that remain after the shot.
Visual inspection of weapons
As a rule, if a weapon was discovered at the crime scene with which it was perfect, then it is sent for investigation in the form in which it was found. If the weapon is loaded, then it is discharged. The barrel is wrapped in paper, usually cardboard is used. Handle weapons carefully so as not to accidentally erase traces that will help find the criminal and prove his guilt. Weapons can only be seized in the presence of witnesses who put their signatures in the protocol. Further, a microscopic examination is carried out, while all the smallest details are studied.
Experimental method
To prove the guilt of the offender, as a rule, the methods used to determine the location of the shooter are completely different, and the experiment is considered to be one of the most effective. Using this method, it is possible not only to determine from which place the criminal shot, but it will also be possible to establish which path the bullet went to the obstacle.
During the experiment, the specialist will try to completely repeat all the actions of the criminal and make a shot from the place from which the culprit allegedly shot.
What mistakes are made during ballistic examination?
Despite the fact that only the most effective and correct methods of research are used in ballistic examination, even experts can make mistakes. During the investigation, you should carefully follow the sequence of steps, as this can affect the accuracy of the information. To date, methods are used to determine the location of the shooter and they are truly reliable, but if the expert is inexperienced and did not investigate bullet damage at the object initially, he will not be able to establish the shooter's location.
The investigation may follow the false trail if the expert does not fully investigate the crime scene. For example, as soon as an expert can determine the number of shots, he will be able to draw conclusions about the distance from which the killer shot. And he will also be able to presumably calculate his whereabouts during the murder. It should also be investigated not only the place where the victim was, but also the place where the killer could have been. Value should be given to every little thing, because it could very well be evidence of the crime committed.
Of course, at the initial stage, you can calculate the distance approximately, but due to the fact that in modern society methods for determining the location of the shooter have been used for a long time, with high accuracy, many crimes are solved in the shortest possible time. Today, the development of accurate methods for determining the whereabouts of a criminal in a crime is still relevant. It should be noted that the real ballist will not rush to conclusions and prematurely say anything, he carefully examines not only the hole in the object, but also tries to visually reproduce all the events, and then check everything again in practice.