Differences in Gunpowder Tattooing on Pig Head Wounds Caused by a .380 Pistol and a .38 Revolver – A Forensic Research in South Brazil
Maurício Reis
Department of Forensic Dentistry, Brazilian Dental Association – Section of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Fábio Delwing
Maranhão State Police, São Luiz, Maranhão, Brazil.
Gabriela Cauduro da Rosa
Department of Forensic Dentistry, Brazilian Dental Association – Section of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and Maranhão State Police, São Luiz, Maranhão, Brazil.
Rosane Pérez Baldasso *
Department of Forensic Dentistry, Brazilian Dental Association – Section of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and Department of Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mário Marques Fernandes
Department of Forensic Dentistry, Brazilian Dental Association – Section of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and Department of Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Rogério Nogueira de Oliveira
Department of Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To analyse the differences in gunpowder tattooing on pig head wounds caused by a .380 pistol and a .38 revolver.
Study Design: Observational prospective cross-sectional.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Forensic Dentistry, Brazilian Dental Association – Section of Rio Grande do Sul, between March and July 2017.
Methodology: A .38 revolver (Rossi®, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) and a .380 pistol (Bersa®, Buenos Aires, Argentina), and their respective ammunition (CBC®, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil), were used to produce gunshot wounds in the head of 4 Large White adult pigs in South Brazil. The firearms were positioned by systematically modifying the distance between the muzzle and the target – from 5 to 20 cm. Photographs were taken from each gunshot wound using a standard scale. The gunpowder tattooing area and perimeter were measured and registered for comparison between firearms. Qualitatively, the visibility of the tattooing surface was directly compared between firearms.
Results: The tattooing surface produced by the firearms varied considerably within the distances between 5 and 20 cm. In specific, the tattooing surfaces increased proportionally with the distances. More visible and well-defined tattooing surfaces were produced by the pistol.
Conclusion: In practice, forensic investigators may find clues of the shooting distance by analysing the tattooing surface in gunshot wounds.
Keywords: Firearm, gunshot wound, gunpowder tattooing, facial injury, forensic medicine.