Whenever a shooting occurs and the police are called in to investigate a dead body as a result of the shooting, Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) will come to process the scene. The medical examiner will then determine where the bullet entered; if possible, where did it come from; and what bullet caliber, or bullet diameter, was used to kill the victim.

In this article, I will define what entry and Exit wounds they are and what are the characteristics that make up an entrance wound.

When a bullet enters a person, it leaves behind what is called a entrance wound. However, that bullet won’t necessarily leave another hole called exit wound when the bullet leaves the body. Many times, the bullet remains inside the victim’s body. When evaluating gunshot wounds, a coroner looks for the entry and exit wounds and tries to find the bullets still lodged inside the victim. Although the distinction is not always obvious, the coroner also attempts to determine the difference between entry and exit wounds, because doing so can be crucial in reconstructing a crime scene. Knowing the trajectory or trajectory of a bullet can incriminate or exonerate suspects or help determine which projectile caused the fatal wound.

The characteristics of a gunshot wound depend on several factors:

• The distance between the muzzle or barrel end of a gun, the gun and the victim.
• The caliber or diameter and speed of the bullet.
• The angle at which the projectile enters the body.
• If the bullet remains within the victim or goes through, exits or leaves the body. Hence the term, full gunshot wound.

A coroner can determine the distance from which a single projectile was fired by closely examining the point of entry of the bullet. The characteristics of these inputs are as follows:

• If the muzzle was two (2) or more feet away from the victim, the entry wound is usually a small hole, accompanied by a abrasion collar. An abrasion collar is a bluish-black bruise effect in a halo that surrounds the entry wound. Some black soot may remain on the skin as the skin literally wipes the bullet as it passes the victim through the entry wound.
• If the muzzle was between six (6) inches and two (2) feet from the point of entry, the skin may have a tattooed, or stained appearance. This tattooed appearance is the result of small particles of gunpowder discharged from the muzzle that embed themselves in the skin, producing tiny red dots of blood within the skin in a mottled pattern around the wound.
• If the muzzle was within six (6) inches of the victim, the shot produced a hole, a small area of ​​spotting, a surrounding area of ​​charring, and a bright red color to the wounded tissue.
• If the muzzle is pressed against the victim when the weapon is fired, hot gases and tiny particles penetrate directly into the skin, causing further charring and tearing the skin in a star shape, or starry, pattern.

In general, exit wounds tend to be larger than entry wounds due to the fact that the bullet cuts or tears soft tissue as it pushes its way up and out through the skin. The size and shape of the exit wound depend on the caliber, speed and shape of the bullet. For example, soft lead bullets are easily deformed when they enter and pass through the body, especially if they hit any bone structure along the way. When that happens, the bullet can become enormously deformed, which, in turn, causes more extensive tissue damage in its path and often results in an open and irregular exit wound.

Determining the difference between entry wounds and exit wounds is not always straightforward for the medical examiner, especially when the exit wound is propped up. Propped up refers to when clothing or some other material provides support to the wound. The irregular attribute of many exit wounds is due to the bullet breaking through the skin. However, if the victim’s skin is supported by tight clothing or if the victim is against a wall or other structure, the skin is less likely to tear. Therefore, the exit wound will be smaller and less irregular. It will take on the likeness of an entrance wound.

Next time you look NCIS or your favorite CSI TV show, you will have a better understanding of the terminology used when criminals investigate a shooting victim.