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

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

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

Hock, D
Armorer, Tucson Police Department, Tucson, AZ.


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

Paper ID: JFS326871604

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Author Jones AM, Reyna M, Jr, Sperry K, Hock D Title Suicidal Contact Gunshot Wounds to the Head with .38 Special Glaser Safety Slug Ammunition Symposium , Committee on