Dr.

Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology

(JIAFP)
ISSN Awaiting
AN AUTOPSY STUDY OF SUICIDES DUE TO GUNSHOT WOUNDS
Original Article
Dr.Dinesh Rao.
Department of Forensic Medicine, SIMS, Bangalore, India.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Corresponding Author:
Dr.Dinesh Rao,
Department of Forensic Medicine, SIMS,Bangalore, India.
E-mail: dineshrao22@yahoo.com
Accepted: November 02, 2014
Published: January, 2015
Citation: Dr.Dinesh Rao (2015) An Autopsy Study of Suicides due to Gunshot Wounds.
Copyright: 2014 Dr.Dinesh Rao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are
credited.

ABSTRACT
The present study was carried out during the period 2009 to 2012. A total 29 cases gunshot Suicides were studied. Males
dominated the Victim group with the Male to Female ratio of 13.5:1. Majority of the Victims belonged to the age group 2140yrs.In 93.1% of cases the Head was the most preferred region and Temple was the preferred Anatomical site .All the weapons
used were Handguns and were Legally procured. Large majority of Victims[96.7%] preferred in House to commit the act.
Marital/Relationship Crisis were the Major Motivating factors in 79.3% of cases. Psychiatric Illness contributed to only 6.9% of
cases. 93.1% the victims were right handed. All the victims received single Shot. All the victims shot at contact range[31%] or
loose contact range[69%].The wounds track were directed forwards and in 86.2% of cases the wounds were directed Right to
Left ,upwards in 65.5% and Horizontal in 24.1%.Suicidal notes were found in 6.9% of cases. 27.6% of the victims Blood sample
was positive for Alcohol. Victim clothes were intact in 86.2% of cases. 93.1% of cases the incidence took place between 8pm to
2am.In 89.7% of cases the Surroundings were intact. The Crime scene was compromised in 37.9% of cases. In all the cases the
Weapon, spent shell were recovered from the crime scene. Ballistic examination of the weapon, spent shell and Bullet was done
in all cases. Swabbing of both the hands for gunshot residue was done in all cases. A combined approach including
Circumstances, Crime scene examination, Autopsy, Ballistic examination is important to arrive at the exact Manner of death in
Gunshot Suicides.
Keywords: Gunshot, Suicide, Contact Range, Suicide Note, Ballistics.

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology (JIAFP)

Dr.Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

INTRODUCTION:
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
The most commonly used method of suicide varies by
country and is partly related to availability. Common
methods include Hanging, Pesticide, Poisoning, and
firearms, though this methods varies from region to region
[1]
Around 800,000 to a million people die by suicide every
year, making it the 10th leading cause of death
[2,3]
worldwide. Rates are higher in men than in women, with
males three to four times more likely to kill themselves
than females.[4] There are an estimated 10 to 20 million
non-fatal attempted suicides every year.[5] Attempts are
more common in young people and females.Socioeconomic problems such as unemployment, poverty,
Homelessness , and discrimination may trigger suicidal
thoughts.[6,7] About 1540% of people leave a Suicidal
notes .[8]

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

METHODS
1.

The Crime Scene Examination: Photography,

Diagrams, The position of the body, Place of
occurrence, Weapon position, Surroundings,
Entry and Exit points, Finger prints, Foot prints,
Phones, CCTV images recovered and analyzed.
2. Radiological Examination of the Body.
3. Entrance wound number , Position and pattern.
4. Exit wound, position, number and pattern.
5. Track taken by the Bullet, fragments, Ricocheting
and Internal Damage.
6. Brain injury studied only after proper Fixing of
the Brain.
7. Toxicological analysis of Blood, Urine, Vitreous
along with the Visceral Samples.
8. Past Medical History of the Deceased.
9. Ballistic report on the weapon ,Ammunition and
Gunshot Residue.
10. Final Opinion is based on the Combined report of
Crime scene Examination, Autopsy Examination,
Toxicological Analysis, Technical
Details[Phone/CCTV],Past Medical History and
Ballistic Examination Report.

It is observed that suicide rates have been found to be

greater in households with firearms than those without
them.[9] Hence it is this easy availability of the Firearm in
the Region the Major cause of Suicides. Majority of the
Suicides due to Firearm involved the Head. There are
instances wherein speculations dominate in cases of
Suicides due to Firearm. It is always necessary to rule out
the Accidental and Homicidal Causes before concluding it
as a Suicide. Hence meticulous examination of the Crime
scene, Autopsy Examination, Toxicological Analysis,
Ballistic examination and Victims Past Medical(Psych)
condition is important. Hence the final Conclusion should
be always based on the combination of this factors for the
proper understanding the Manner of Suicide. This Autopsy
study was carried out in Jamaica during the period 2009 to
2012.

OBSERVATIONS:

AIMS:
1.

To study the circumstances surrounding suicides

due to Gunshot Wound.
To study the Age and Sex group involved in Suicides
due to Gunshot Wound.
To Study the Characters of the Victim of Suicide
due to Gunshot Wound.
To study the Type of Weapon used in Suicide due
to Gunshot Wound.
To study the Entrance and Exit wound and its site,
Direction of the Track in Suicides due to Gunshot
wound.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Spent Shells
Camera
Gun shot residue
Phones
Death notes.

Tabel no !. Sex Group involvement.

MALES
FEMALES
TOTAL
M:F ratio

27
2
29
13.5:1

Tabel no 2. Age Group Iaffected.

<10yrs
0

1120yrs
0

2130yrs
7

3140yrs
18

MATERIALS
1.
2.

Firearm.
Ammunition

Tabel no 3. Type of Weapon used.

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology (JIAFP)

4150yrs
3

5160yrs
1

6170yrs
0

Dr.Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

Shot Gun
Hand Gun
Automatic weapons
Legal
Illegal

Tabel no 6. The Crime Scene Examination and Evidence

Collected.

Nil
29
Nil
29
Nil

Tabel no 4. The Characters of a Suicidee[Victim].

Right handed
Left Handed
Place of Residence
Work place
Others
Nude
Clothes present on body
Alcohol/Drugs
Psychiatric conditions
Domestic crisis
Marital/Relationship Crisis
Financial crisis
Medical conditions
Suicidal note
Time of Incidence 8pm-2am
Time of Incidence 2am-1pm
Time of Incidence 2pm-8pm
Single Shot

27
02
28
01
00
4
25
8
2
2
23
4
00
2
27
00
02
29

93.1%
6.9%
96.6%
3.4%
0
13.8%
86.2%
27.6%
6.9%
6.9%
79.3%
13.8%
00
6.9%
93.1%
00
6.9%
100%

Tabel no 5. The site and Direction of the Suicidal Gunshot

Wound.
Right Temple
Left Temple
Right Parietal
Left Parietal
Forehead
Chin
Mouth
Chest
Abdomen
Right to Left
Left to Right
Below upwards
Upwards
Horizontal
Downwards
Forwards
Backwards
Ricocheting
Contact
Near Contact

25
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
25
2
2
19
7
1
29
00
2
9
20

86.2%
6.9%
0
00
0
6.9%
0
0
0
86.2%
6.9%
6.9%
65.5%
24.1%
3.4%
100%
00
6.9%
31%
69%

Intact Surroundings
Disturbed Surroundings
Weapon in hand
Weapon at scene
Empty Shells
GSR/Swabbing
Suicide notes
Alcohol/Drugs
Medication
Crime Scene Disturbed

26
3
2
29
29
29
2
8
2
11

89.7%
10.3%
6.9%
100%
100%
100%
6.9%
27.6%
6.9%
37.9%

RESULTS:
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A total of 29 cases were studied during this

period of study. Male contributed to the large
majority of the Victims. The Male to Female ratio
was 13.5:1.
Majority of the Victim belonged to the aged
group 21-40yrs. The least affected were from the
age group of 51-60yrs. The Children and Old
individual were never affected.
All the Victims used Hand guns and all the
Weapons were Legally purchased under a valid
License.
This table highlights the Characters of a
Suicidee. 93.1% of the victims were Right
Handed and Majority of the victims preferred
Place of Residence in 96.6% of cases to commit
the act. In 86.2% of victims the Clothes were
clothed during the act. In 27.6% of the victims
Alcohol and Drugs were traced during the act of
Suicide. The major triggering factor in 79.3% of
cases were Marital or Relationship related
issues. In 6.9% of cases Suicidal notes were
present at the Crime Scene. All the Victims died
due to Single Shot and Large majority of the
incidence[93.1%] reported between 8pm to
2am.
The most preferred site was the Right Temple in
75.9% of cases ,the Chin and Left Temple sites
were each preferred in 6.9% of cases. Majority of
the Suicidee shot from a Near Contact Range in
69% of cases and only in 31% of cases were shot
in Contact Range. The Large majority of the
Shots were directed Right to Left in 86.2% of
cases and only in 6.9% of cases it was directed
below upwards and this were specific to the

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology (JIAFP)

Dr.Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

6.

Shots situated over the Chin. The Majority of the

Shots were directed upwards in 65.5% of cases
,followed by those shots directed Horizontally in
24.1% cases. All the Shots were forced forward.
In 6.9% of cases the Bullet fragmented and
Ricocheted after hitting the body changing the
direction of the exit.
The Empty shell from the scene was recovered
in all the cases. The CCTV footage was also
available in all the Cases. Swabbing of the Hands
were done in all the victims. The surroundings
were undisturbed in 89.7% of cases. In all the
cases the Weapon was recovered from the
Crime scene but in only 6.9% of cases the
weapon was found in the hand. The evidence of
consumption of Alcohol/Drugs was available in
27.6% of cases. Evidence of Medication usage
was available in 6.9% of cases. In 37.9% of cases
the Crime scene was Disturbed before the Arrival
of the Investigators and Forensic Pathologist.

DISCUSSION:
Suicides are not uncommon ,There are many methods of
Committing Suicides of which, Hanging, Pesticides,
1
Poisoning and Firearms are widely reported . Firearm
related Suicides are common in regions where the
Availability and accessibility to Firearms is well Established
.A strong associations between Rate of Gun Ownership
10
and Gunshot suicides have been well Established
recommending Firearm Legislation. In the present study
similar observation was made wherein all the Victims had
valid License with easy access to the Weapon. In the
Present study a Total of 29cases of Suicides due to Firearm
was studied other Category like Accidental Self Injury and
Murder-Suicide due to Firearm were Excluded from the
present Study. Of the 29 cases Male contributed to the
large majority [n-27] of cases with the Male to Female
ratio of 13.5:1, This results were close to the observations
11
12
made by Nikolic.S. et al[2012] ,Canturk.G. et al[2009]
13
and Avis. SP Though, however they differed from this
study due to their Large number of the Cases. The Major
age group involved were victims aged between 2140yrs,this results are similar to those claimed by
14
Bluementhal R.[2007] ,however the Results differ from
11
the observation made by Nikolic.S. et al[2012] ,he
concluded the average age as 47[+/- 19.1yrs] but the
15
Claims made by Asirdizer M[2010] was contrary to this,
he had claimed that his victims belonged to the age group
16-20yrs. Hand Gun were the preferred Weapon in all the

Cases of Gun Suicides in the present study,this results are

close to the observation made by Bluementhal
14
R.[2007] ,he opined that 96% of his victims preferred
Handguns. The majority of the victims in this study were
right handed[93.1%] and 96.6% of the victims preferred in
House to commit the Act,this observations were similar to
14
the claims made by Bluementhal R.[2007] and closer to
15
the observations made by Asirdizer M[2010] and Druid
16
H[1997] . In 27.6% of victim Toxicological analysis were
positive for Alcohol in this study contrary to the
14
observations made by Bluementhal R.[2007] ,he had
opined that 40% of his victims reported Positive Blood
Alcohol. Marital or Relationship Crisis were the major
Motivating Factor in 79.3% of victims ,the other factors
were Financial [13.8%] and Domestic[6.9%] in nature this
observations were not made by similar studies done else
where. Of the 29 victims only 6.9% of the Victims had past
history of Psychiatric Illness ,a claim disputed by
16
observations made by Druid H[1997] ,he claimed Majority
of his Victims had past history of Psychiatric Illness. It is
not uncommon for a Suicidee to write before his act, in
the present study only 6.9% of the victims had preferred
to leave a Suicidal Note the observations are close to those
made by Asirdizer M[2010][15],he had found 9.6% of his
Victims with Suicidal Note. In the present study 86.2% of
the victims clothes were intact and 93.1% of the Victims
committed the act between 8pm to 2am. This
observations were not recorded by similar studies
elsewhere. Since the preferred Anatomical site of Suicidee
is other than the Clothed area i.e the Head, the victim had
preferred not to undress before the act .the other
possibility of extreme stress during the time of the act
cannot be ruled out. All the victims died due to a single
12
shot Whereas Canturk.G. et al[2009] had observed 3.6%
of his victims had Two Shots. In this study 93.1% of the
victims the Head was the preferred region for the Gunshot
and only 6.9% of the victims preferred the
Face[chin],Similar were the views of Bluementhal
14
13
17
R.[2007] , Avis.SP and Balc Y et al . The most preferred
Anatomical Site on the head was the Right Temple in
86.2% of the Victims similar were the views of
14
Bluementhal R.[2007] ,however this views were contrary
11
to the claims made by Nikolic.S. et al[2012] who
observed that Mouth[16%] , Forehead[7%] and Left
Temple[6%] involved and only 67% of his victims
preferred the Right Temple. In the present study 6.9% of
the victims preferred Left Temple, an observations similar
11
to Nikolic.S. et al[2012] . The contrary observations were
15
made by Asirdizer M[2010] who claimed that half of his
Female victims preferred Abdomen region. In this study

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology (JIAFP)

Dr.Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

the wounds track were directed forwards and in 86.2% of

the victims it was directed Right to Left and directed
upwards in 65.5% and Horizontal in 24.1%.This
observations are close to those made by Bluementhal
14,
R.[2007] however he claimed that only 51% of his victims
had the track directed upwards,though his study group
was larger[n-406] than the present study. In this study the
Bullet Ricocheted and fragmented in 6.9% of the cases
changing the course of the Exit wound. The Range of the
Shot fired in the Present Study were Contact Range in 31%
of Victims and Near contact or Loose Contact in 69% of
Victims these are close to the claims made by Bluementhal
14
12
18
R.[2007] , Canturk.G. et al[2009] ,Strijina V and Karger
19
B ,they claimed that 81-89% of their victims had Contact
or near contact gunshots. However in the study conducted
17
15
by Balc .Y et al and Asirdizer M[2010] only 72-76% of
the Victims inflicted Contact or loose contact Gunshots.
The Crime scene an important part of Investigation was
examined in all the cases. The Weapon and Spent Shells
were recovered in all cases. The, Gunshot shot Residue
Swabbing of hands and finger prints was done in all the
cases. In 6.9% of victims the Weapon was held firmly in
the hand. In 89.7% of the Cases the Surroundings were
intact and in 37.9% of cases the though the surroundings
were intact the Scene was disturbed in the guise of
Assisting the Victim and Emergency Measures. The Crime
scene also helped to recover the Suicide notes in 6.9% of
cases. Hence the visit to the Crime Scene by the Doctor is
of utmost importance in cases of Suspected Suicides by
Gunshot, other evidence materials like the Telephonic
details and Electronic surveillance plays an important role
in corroboration of the Circumstances. Other aspects
besides Autopsy like the Ballistic Examination is vital in
arriving at the exact manner of Death. Hence this study
highlights the importance of Combined approach,
consisting of Crime Scene Findings, Circumstances,
Autopsy, Toxicological and Ballistic examination results in
differentiating between Suicidal Gunshot wound to
Homicidal and Accidental manner of deaths. similar are
20
the recommendations of Cave R[2014]
and Kunz
21
SN[2013] .

4.Majority of the Victims belonged to the age group 2140yrs.

CONCLUSIONS:

4. Meier, Marshall B. Clinard, Robert F. (2008). Sociology

of deviant behavior (14th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Cengage Learning. p. 169.

1.Males Form the Large Majority of Suicidal Victims due to

Gunshot wound, with a Male to Female Ratio of 13.5:1.
2.All the Victims had Easy Accessibility to the Firearm.

5.Large majority of Victims[96.7%] preferred in House to

commit the act.
6.Marital/Relationship Crisis were the Major Motivating
factors in 79.3% of cases.
7.Psychiatric Illness contributed to only 6.9% of cases.
8.In 93.1% of the Victims the Head was the most preferred
region and Temple was the most preferred Anatomical
Site.
9.The wounds track were directed forwards and in
Majority[86.2% ] of the wounds were directed Right to Left
,upwards in 65.5% and Horizontal in 24.1%.
10.A combined approach including Circumstances, Crime
scene examination, Autopsy, Ballistic examination is
important to arrive at the exact Manner of death in
Gunshot Suicides.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
MNS,Kingston.Legal Medicine
Institute,Jamaica.JCF,Jamaica.

Unit.,Forensic

Science

CONFLICT OF INTREST:
Author declares no Conflict of interest.
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Dr.Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

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PHOTOGRAPHS:
Pic 01. Showing Gunshot wound over the Right Temple.

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology (JIAFP)

Dr.Dinesh Rao
2015, Volume 01 Issue No.01

Pic 02. Gunshot wound above the Right Ear.

Pic 03. Gunshot wound across the front of Ear.

Pic 04.Showing Blackening over the Right Temporal Bone in Contact Suicidal Gunshot Wound.

Journal of International Academy of Forensic Science & Pathology (JIAFP)