ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 November 1987
Page Count: 18

Suicidal Contact Gunshot Wounds to the Head with .38 Special Glaser Safety Slug Ammunition
Jones, AM
Chief medical examiner and medicolegal investigator, Office of the Medical Examiner, Pima County, Arizona, AZ

Hock, D
Armorer, Tucson Police Department, AZ

Sperry, K
Medical investigator, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, NM

Reyna, M
Chief medical examiner and medicolegal investigator, Office of the Medical Examiner, Pima County, Arizona, AZ

(Received 12 March 1987; accepted 20 March 1987)

Abstract

Glaser Safety Slug TM ammunition is a uniquely designed, essentially prefragmented ammunition. Tests performed by the U.S. Justice Department demonstrated that the ammunition possesses high kinetic energy, high relative incapacitation index (RII) and poses a very low risk to bystanders because of its total loss of kinetic energy in the target. Despite having been manufactured since 1974, no deaths from this ammunition have been previously reported. The authors herein describe the first three reported human deaths.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, suicide, wound ballistics, ballistics, Glaser Safety Slug, kinetic energy, unusual ammunition

Paper ID: JFS11220J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11220J
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