ABSTRACT
Spatter is defined as a dispersion of blood spots of varying size, created when a source of fluid blood is subjected to an external force(s). The individual spots within the dispersion typically exhibit directionality characteristics that indicate the location from which they originated. Spatter is one of the three major bloodstain pattern categories within our bloodstain pattern taxonomy (Figure 6.1). Spatter is created by a wide variety of mechanisms and is commonly observed at scenes where bloodshed has occurred. The minimum requirements for the production of spatter are a fluid source of blood and an external force great enough to overcome the physical properties of the blood. On many surface textures, the shape and distribution of the individual spatters will allow you to determine the origin or the location of the source of the spatter.
