Workbook on Crime Scene Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents

This workbook is designed to help the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator in documenting the bullet holes and or indentations present at the scene. The documentation can be accomplished with overall, midrange and close-up photographs, rough sketches with the required measurement and notes.

The workbook is also designed to assist the Crime Scene Investigator in understanding the different ways of:

1.0                           Determining the upward (inclined) or downward (sloped) impact angles to the horizontal plane and the horizontal impact angles that

2.0                           will be needed to reconstruct the shooting incident.

3.0                           The location of the muzzle of the gun at the time of the shooting

Upon finding the impact angle(s) to the horizontal plane the Crime Scene Investigator can then determine the horizontal distance(s) along the path of the projectile and the distance(s) the projectile(s) traveled from the muzzle of the gun to the hole in the victim or object. These distances can be easily determined for any known or assumed muzzle height(s) based on the height of the shooter. Also, having the horizontal impact angle the Crime Scene investigator can determine the perpendicular distances from the muzzle of the gun to the surface with the bullet hole(s) and or indentation(s).

Potentially, very valuable investigative information can be developed through a trajectory or shooting reconstruction of the scene that would assist the investigator in talking to a subject to determine if he or she is truthful in the sequence of events or the manner in which the incident took place. Specific information may be logically inferred if the Crime Scene Investigator is knowledgeable about trajectory or shooting reconstruction.

A trajectory or shooting reconstruction can, depending on the nature of the incident, lead to a determination of:

·         The orientation and location of the individuals involved in the shooting incident (subjects and victims)

·         The location of the shooter relative to a moving vehicle

·         The sequence of the shots (windshield of a vehicle) fired at the scene

·         The location and or the position of objects in the path of the projectile(s) during the shooting incident

Thus a trajectory or shooting reconstruction can and do provide valuable information as to the truthfulness of the victim’s and or subject’s statement of the incident.

A trajectory or shooting reconstruction can be accomplished by the utilization of one or more of the following methods:

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