ABSTRACT
The fatal shooting scene offers unique challenges for the death scene investigator. Establishing the shooter and victim's locations in a scene and body positions at the time of the shooting may be critical in resolving the investigation. In order to effectively document the scene, it is necessary to be able to identify all bullet defects, to include ricochets and grazes, determine the direction the bullet traveled, and determine logical shooter positions along the trajectory and the victim's position along the trajectory. The weapon must be packaged by the investigator so as to prevent any movement that might obliterate latent print, trace, or biological evidence. Gunpowder patterns can be visible surrounding a bullet defect or on the hands or surface directly adjacent to a weapon when it is fired. Weather and environmental conditions, at the scene such as air movement and precipitation, should be documented by the investigator to assist in range of fire determination.
