Citation

Burnett BR, Lebiedzik J. J. Forensic Sci. 2017; 62(3): 768-772.

Affiliation

GSR Research Division, ARI Corp., 327 Chicago Ave SE, Bandon, OR, 97411.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.13343

PMID

27990647

Abstract

The defendant, the driver of the questioned car, allegedly extended his right arm over the passenger seat and fired a single shot from a 380 pistol out the passenger window with the pistol's breech within the car. A simulation of this shooting scenario using the same model car, but different year, was conducted to quantitate gunshot residue (GSR) contamination of interior surfaces within the car. The test car's dash and headliner/window frame above the pistol had the heaviest GSR contamination. The dash GSR from airborne deposition documents a firearm discharge within the vehicle. Transfer from GSR-contaminated hands or clothing to the dash is unlikely. The heavy GSR contamination of the headliner/window frame above the pistol likely documents the window from which the pistol was fired, but additional experiments are needed to verify.

© 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en