What can ballistics determine

Answer 1

Ballistics is the science of the travel of projectiles, including bullets and rockets, and it can determine a variety of forensic facts in criminal investigations. Key aspects that ballistics can determine include:

1. **Type of Firearm Used:** By examining the bullet or cartridge casing, forensic experts can often determine the make and model of the firearm used.

2. **Trajectory and Range:** Ballistics can determine the path of a bullet from the firearm to the target, which can help reconstruct the events of a shooting incident. This includes determining the angle and distance of the shot.

3. **Bullet and Cartridge Analysis:** Examination of the bullet and cartridge casing can reveal marks left by the barrel, firing pin, extractor, and ejector of the gun. These marks can be unique to a specific firearm.

4. **Gunshot Residue (GSR):** The presence of gunshot residue on a suspect's hands, clothing, or at the scene can indicate recent firing of a gun or proximity to a discharged firearm.

5. **Wound Ballistics:** By analyzing wounds, ballistics experts can determine the type of projectile that caused the injuries and potentially the distance and angle from which the shot was fired.

6. **Matching Projectiles to Firearms:** Through techniques like comparison microscopy, ballistics experts can match a bullet or shell casing found at a crime scene to a specific firearm.

7. **Shooting Reconstruction:** By evaluating various ballistics evidence, experts can reconstruct aspects of a shooting scene, such as the number of shots fired, sequence of events, and shooters' positions.

8. **Determining Firing Distance:** Ballistics can help establish how far away the shooter was from the target, often crucial in determining intent and reconstructing the crime scene.

9. **Point of Origin:** By examining ricochet marks and other evidence, ballistics can sometimes determine the point from which a bullet was fired.

10. **Impact Analysis:** The study of how and where a projectile impacts an object can provide insights into the dynamics of the shooting incident.

Ballistics evidence is often crucial in criminal investigations involving firearms, helping to piece together the events leading to and surrounding a crime.