Shooting (Trajectory) Reconstruction Workbook

About the Book

This workbook is designed to assist the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator in documenting any bullet holes and or indentations that may be present at the crime scene. This documentation could be accomplished with overall, midrange and close-up photographs, rough sketches with the required measurement and notes.

The workbook is also designed to assist the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator in understanding the different ways of determining:
a. The upward (inclined) or downward (sloped) bullet impact angles to the horizontal plane and the horizontal bullet impact angles, to the left or right when facing the surface with the bullet hole, that would be needed to reconstruct the shooting incident.
b. The approximate location(s) of the muzzle of the gun at the time of the shooting.

The determined or calculated bullet impact angle(s) to the horizontal plane could be used by the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator to determine the horizontal distance(s) below the path of the bullet and the distance(s) the bullet(s) traveled from the muzzle of the gun to the hole(s) in the victim or object. These distances could then be used to determine / calculate the location of the shooter for any known or assumed muzzle height(s) based on the orientation of the shooter. Also, having the horizontal bullet impact angle the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator could determine the perpendicular horizontal distance(s) from the muzzle of the gun to the surface with the bullet hole(s) and or indentation(s).

A trajectory or shooting reconstruction could be accomplished by the utilization of one or more of the following methods. The emphasis of this workbook would be on the reconstruction of crime scene shooting incidents utilizing these methods:
• Strings and dowels rods
• Scaled drawings
• Calculations using the trigonometric ratios
• Computers programs

The workbook would also provide the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator with an opportunity to reconstruct and review fifteen real cases. More emphasis was placed on solution of these cases (which are located in the back of the book) by calculations using the trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean Theorem since this method could be utilized to verify the accuracy of the other methods.

Potentially, very valuable investigative information could be developed through a trajectory or shooting reconstruction of the crime scene that would assist the Analyst, Technician or Investigator when interviewing a subject to determine if he or she is truthful in the sequence of events or the manner in which the incident took place. Specific information may be logically inferred if the Crime Scene Analyst, Technician or Investigator is knowledgeable about trajectory or shooting reconstruction.

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