Shooting incident reconstruction is the examination of the
physical evidence
In evidence law, physical evidence (also called real evidence or material evidence) is any material object that plays some role in the matter that gave rise to the litigation, introduced as evidence in a judicial proceeding (such as a trial) to ...
recovered or documented at the scene of a
shooting
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles ...
. Shooting reconstruction may also include the laboratory analysis of the evidence recovered at the scene. The goal is an attempt to gain an understanding of what may or may not have happened during the incident. Once all reasonable explanations have been considered, one can evaluate the significance of witness or suspect accounts of the incident.
In many cases valuable evidence necessary for reconstruction analysis exists at the crime scene. Should this evidence go undocumented or unrecovered during the initial processing of the shooting scene, the information it can give investigators may be lost forever. Poor shooting incident processing can not be compensated for by excellent laboratory work.
There are many questions that can be answered from the proper reconstruction of a shooting incident. Some of the questions typically answered by a shooting reconstruction investigation include (but not limited to) the distance of the shooter from the target, The path of the bullet(s), The number of shots fired and possibly the sequence of multiple discharges at a shooting incident.
The
Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners
The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of firearm and tool mark identification, which is one of the forensic sciences.
Organizational history
Prior ...
is an international
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
dedicated to the advancement of
firearm and
tool mark identification, including shooting reconstruction.
References
External links
Association for Crime Scene ReconstructionAssociation of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners
Further reading
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Ballistics
Forensic techniques
Gun violence
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