A systematic review on ricochet gunshot injuries

Abstract

Ricocheted bullets may still retain sufficient kinetic energy to cause gunshot injuries. Accordingly, this paper reviews the literature surrounding gunshot injuries caused by ricocheted bullets. In doing so, it discusses the characteristics of ricochet entrance wounds and wound tracks, noting several important considerations for assessment of a possible ricochet incident. The shapes of ricochet entrance wounds vary, ranging from round holes to elliptical, large and irregular shapes. Pseudo-stippling or pseudo-gunpowder tattooing, pseudo-soot blackening and tumbling abrasions seen on the skin surrounding the bullet hole are particularly associated with ricochet incidents. Ricocheted bullets have a reduced capability for tissue penetration. Most of the resulting wound tracks are short, of large diameter and irregular-all artefacts of the instability of a bullet that has ricocheted. A ricocheted hollow-point bullet, in particular, may overpenetrate the tissue when the bullet nose is deformed or fails to enter the body in a nose-forward orientation. Similarly, internal ricochet may occur when a bullet strikes hard tissue. Postmortem computed tomographic imaging is useful for localising a bullet and its fragments in the body and characterising the wound track. Ricochet cannot be ruled out in normal-appearing entrance wounds unless that finding is supported by other evidence, including the geometrical constraints of the shooting scene and the absence of ricochet marks and a ricocheted bullet.

Keywords: Atypical gunshot wounds; Ricochet entrance wounds; Ricochet gunshot injuries; Ricocheted bullets; Wound tracks.