ABSTRACT
A wide variety of trace evidence may be present on firearms and ammunition components as a result of their use in shootings. Trace evidence may include one or more of the following:
• Hairs and fibers • Glass particles • Blood and tissue • Fingerprints • Gunshot residue • Scratches and gouges
Hairs and fibers are examples of transitory evidence that can easily be lost in the recovery, packaging, and transport of firearms and ammunition components. For this reason, it is extremely important that this evidence be visually inspected at the shooting scene and appropriate steps be taken to preserve it. If these precautions are not taken, the evidence may wind up in
the bottom of an evidence bag and the examiner who receives the firearm or ammunition component never realizes other evidence is present.
