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Outline

Title
Abstract
Key Takeaways
Figures
Introduction
Case Report
Result and Discussion
Conclusion
References
FAQs
All Topics
Sociology
Criminology

The Stray Bullet

Profile image of sandeep Tomarsandeep Tomar

2015, Foresic Research & Criminology International Journal

https://doi.org/10.15406/FRCIJ.2015.01.00006
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2 pages

Abstract

In the case of a bullet fired at a precisely vertical angle, it immediately begins to slow down because of the effects of gravity and air drag on the bullet. The bullet deceleration continues until at some point the bullet momentarily stops and then it begins to fall back toward earth. The bullet speed will increase during its free fall until it reaches its terminal velocity i.e. the bullet weight and air drag is balanced. Once this velocity is achieved the bullet will fall no faster and such a bullet would tumble, lose its spin, and fall at a much slower speed due to terminal velocity and therefore it may be less than lethal on impact. A man and his friend were on their way to nearby village to take dinner in a religious program. Suddenly the man was hit by a bullet on the top of his shoulder and he died. A case was registered U/S 302IPC. Careful scientific investigation reveals that it is the bullet fired by someone in air which on return journey towards earth hit the man.

Key takeaways
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  1. The bullet, fired vertically, hit the victim due to gravitational forces and air resistance.
  2. The practice of celebratory gunfire leads to significant mortality, with a 32% death rate from falling bullets.
  3. Most injuries from falling bullets occur to the head, feet, and shoulders, with 80% reported cases.
  4. A bullet traveling at 150-200 feet per second can penetrate human skin and skull, posing lethal risk.
  5. The text advocates for a ban on celebratory gunfire due to its dangerous consequences.
Figures (2)
Figure | The area surrounding the spot was almost plane without any tall tree and high-rise structure. The spot was the dusty way of countryside which was used by the villagers for transportation. The area surrounding the spot was almost plane without any tall tree and high-rise structure. The deceased’s friend Chakrapal told during the spot inspection that he could not hear any sound of gunfire at the time of incidence (Figure 1). In many parts of the world including India bullets are fired in air to celebrate some occasion such as New Year, child birth, victory etc. On returning to earth they may fall on someone though the probability is very rare. The extents of injuries caused by such bullets are found quite different. The victim may be severely injured or killed. Sometimes such injury may be quite superficial also. Property damage, particularly holes in roof is another result .The expansion of cities and increase in population density coupled with increasing tendency to fire in air results in dramatic rise in such cases in present times. The practice of shooting in air to celebrate something is very common in Gwalior and Chambal Division of Madhya Pradesh in general and Gwalior district in particular. Every year some cases of this type are reported in Gwalior district. One such case is discussed in the present paper. Result and discussion There was no burning, blacking and tattooing around the wound and on the clothes. This eliminates the possibility of firing from close range. Autopsy revealed that the bullet traveled almost straight from upper to lower part of the body without any exit wound but the area
Figure | The area surrounding the spot was almost plane without any tall tree and high-rise structure. The spot was the dusty way of countryside which was used by the villagers for transportation. The area surrounding the spot was almost plane without any tall tree and high-rise structure. The deceased’s friend Chakrapal told during the spot inspection that he could not hear any sound of gunfire at the time of incidence (Figure 1). In many parts of the world including India bullets are fired in air to celebrate some occasion such as New Year, child birth, victory etc. On returning to earth they may fall on someone though the probability is very rare. The extents of injuries caused by such bullets are found quite different. The victim may be severely injured or killed. Sometimes such injury may be quite superficial also. Property damage, particularly holes in roof is another result .The expansion of cities and increase in population density coupled with increasing tendency to fire in air results in dramatic rise in such cases in present times. The practice of shooting in air to celebrate something is very common in Gwalior and Chambal Division of Madhya Pradesh in general and Gwalior district in particular. Every year some cases of this type are reported in Gwalior district. One such case is discussed in the present paper. Result and discussion There was no burning, blacking and tattooing around the wound and on the clothes. This eliminates the possibility of firing from close range. Autopsy revealed that the bullet traveled almost straight from upper to lower part of the body without any exit wound but the area
Figure 2 Autopsy revealed that the bullet traveled almost straight from upper to lower part of the body without any exit wound but the area surrounding the spot was almost plane, without any tall tree and high-rise structure. surrounding the spot was almost plane, without any tall tree and high-rise structure Figure 2. It seems quite impossible that a gun fired from such a plane place could results in an injury like this in normal circumstances. Secondly the deceased’s friend Chakrapal who was present during the incidence also told that he could not hear any sound of gunfire at the time of incidence. It means the bullet was fired from a distance too far for the shot to be heard. It is a well known fact that a rifle bullet fired upward in air at a non vertical angle follows a parabola path and covers a long distance. Further a soft nose bullet of 8mm caliber having six right handed land and grooves was recovered from the body during postmortem. The caliber and number of land and grooves present on the bullet shows that it was fired by some standard .315 caliber company made rifle. This rifle produce quite prominent sound when fired i.e. the sound of its fire can’t be unnoticed. Further bullet fired from such a rifle can cover a very long distance. On the basis of above findings it can be concluded that the bullet was fired by someone in air with standard .315 caliber company made rifle and on its return journey it hit the upper side of the man’s shoulder. However, if a bullet is fired upward at a non-vertical angle (a far more probable possibility), it will maintain its spin and will have a high enough speed to be lethal on impact. A bullet travelling at only 150 feet per second (46m/s) to 170 feet per second (52m/s) can penetrate human skin,' and at less than 200 feet per second (60m/s), it can penetrate the skull.’ A bullet that does not penetrate the skul may still result in an intracranial injury.’ Because of this potentiality, firing a gun into the air is illegal in many parts of world. People are injured, sometimes fatally, when bullets discharged into the air fal back down. The mortality rate among those struck by falling bullets is about 32%, compared with about 2—6% normally associated with gunshot wounds.’ A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Contro and Prevention (CDC) found that 80% of celebratory gunfire-related injuries are to the head, feet, and Shoulders.> The higher mortality is related to the higher incidence of head wounds from falling bullets. First noted case of stray bullet death in India is way back to December 1859: An autopsy showed a servant, who suddenly fell dead for no apparent reason, was mortally wounded from a bullet fired from a distance. The falling bullet had sufficient energy to pass through the victim’s shoulder, a rib, a lung, his heart and diaphragm.° between the years 1985-1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries 38 of them died.’ Kuwaitis celebrating in 1991 at the end of the Gulf War by firing weapons into the air caused 20 deaths from falling bullets.’
Figure 2 Autopsy revealed that the bullet traveled almost straight from upper to lower part of the body without any exit wound but the area surrounding the spot was almost plane, without any tall tree and high-rise structure. surrounding the spot was almost plane, without any tall tree and high-rise structure Figure 2. It seems quite impossible that a gun fired from such a plane place could results in an injury like this in normal circumstances. Secondly the deceased’s friend Chakrapal who was present during the incidence also told that he could not hear any sound of gunfire at the time of incidence. It means the bullet was fired from a distance too far for the shot to be heard. It is a well known fact that a rifle bullet fired upward in air at a non vertical angle follows a parabola path and covers a long distance. Further a soft nose bullet of 8mm caliber having six right handed land and grooves was recovered from the body during postmortem. The caliber and number of land and grooves present on the bullet shows that it was fired by some standard .315 caliber company made rifle. This rifle produce quite prominent sound when fired i.e. the sound of its fire can’t be unnoticed. Further bullet fired from such a rifle can cover a very long distance. On the basis of above findings it can be concluded that the bullet was fired by someone in air with standard .315 caliber company made rifle and on its return journey it hit the upper side of the man’s shoulder. However, if a bullet is fired upward at a non-vertical angle (a far more probable possibility), it will maintain its spin and will have a high enough speed to be lethal on impact. A bullet travelling at only 150 feet per second (46m/s) to 170 feet per second (52m/s) can penetrate human skin,' and at less than 200 feet per second (60m/s), it can penetrate the skull.’ A bullet that does not penetrate the skul may still result in an intracranial injury.’ Because of this potentiality, firing a gun into the air is illegal in many parts of world. People are injured, sometimes fatally, when bullets discharged into the air fal back down. The mortality rate among those struck by falling bullets is about 32%, compared with about 2—6% normally associated with gunshot wounds.’ A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Contro and Prevention (CDC) found that 80% of celebratory gunfire-related injuries are to the head, feet, and Shoulders.> The higher mortality is related to the higher incidence of head wounds from falling bullets. First noted case of stray bullet death in India is way back to December 1859: An autopsy showed a servant, who suddenly fell dead for no apparent reason, was mortally wounded from a bullet fired from a distance. The falling bullet had sufficient energy to pass through the victim’s shoulder, a rib, a lung, his heart and diaphragm.° between the years 1985-1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries 38 of them died.’ Kuwaitis celebrating in 1991 at the end of the Gulf War by firing weapons into the air caused 20 deaths from falling bullets.’

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Forensic Research & Criminology International Journal Case Report Open Access The stray bullet Abstract Volume 1 Issue 1 - 2015 In the case of a bullet fired at a precisely vertical angle, it immediately begins to slow down Sharma DK,1 Sandeep Tomar2 because of the effects of gravity and air drag on the bullet. The bullet deceleration continues 1 District Scene of Crime Unit, India until at some point the bullet momentarily stops and then it begins to fall back toward earth. 2 Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, India The bullet speed will increase during its free fall until it reaches its terminal velocity i.e. the bullet weight and air drag is balanced. Once this velocity is achieved the bullet will fall no Correspondence: Sharma DK, District Scene of Crime Unit, faster and such a bullet would tumble, lose its spin, and fall at a much slower speed due to E-8/9 Char- Imli, Bhopal, India, Tel +91-9826346600, terminal velocity and therefore it may be less than lethal on impact. A man and his friend Email were on their way to nearby village to take dinner in a religious program. Suddenly the man was hit by a bullet on the top of his shoulder and he died. A case was registered U/S 302IPC. Received: July 10, 2015 | Published: August 11, 2015 Careful scientific investigation reveals that it is the bullet fired by someone in air which on return journey towards earth hit the man. Keywords: soft nose bullet, stray bullet, velocity, spin, gravity, injury Introduction Case report In many parts of the world including India bullets are fired in air History to celebrate some occasion such as New Year, child birth, victory etc. On returning to earth they may fall on someone though the In the evening of 25/5/2007 deceased Balkishan and his friend probability is very rare. The extents of injuries caused by such bullets Chakrapal were on their way to village Gunaya to take dinner are found quite different. The victim may be severely injured or in Bhagawat (a religious program). They were on bicycles and killed. Sometimes such injury may be quite superficial also. Property Balkishan was just behind Chakrapal. At the place called Jhindora damage, particularly holes in roof is another result .The expansion Nala Balkishan came near to Chakrapal and told him that something of cities and increase in population density coupled with increasing hit the upper part of his shoulder and then he fell dead. tendency to fire in air results in dramatic rise in such cases in present At scene times. The practice of shooting in air to celebrate something is very common in Gwalior and Chambal Division of Madhya Pradesh in The spot was the dusty way of countryside which was used by the general and Gwalior district in particular. Every year some cases of villagers for transportation. The area surrounding the spot was almost this type are reported in Gwalior district. One such case is discussed plane without any tall tree and high-rise structure. The deceased’s in the present paper. friend Chakrapal told during the spot inspection that he could not hear any sound of gunfire at the time of incidence (Figure 1). Figure 1 The area surrounding the spot was almost plane without any tall tree and high-rise structure. Result and discussion There was no burning, blacking and tattooing around the wound and on the clothes. This eliminates the possibility of firing from close The deceased was hit by the bullet on the top of his left shoulder range. Autopsy revealed that the bullet traveled almost straight from and there were holes found in his baniyan and kurta at that place. upper to lower part of the body without any exit wound but the area Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Forensic Res Criminol Int J. 2015;1(1):27‒28. 27 © 2015 Sharma et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially. Copyright: The stray bullet ©2015 Sharma et al. 28 surrounding the spot was almost plane, without any tall tree and Conclusion high-rise structure Figure 2. It seems quite impossible that a gun fired from such a plane place could results in an injury like this in On the basis of all above facts it can be concluded that the bullet normal circumstances. Secondly the deceased’s friend Chakrapal fired by someone in air with standard .315 caliber company made rifle who was present during the incidence also told that he could not hear hit the upper side of the man’s shoulder on return journey towards any sound of gunfire at the time of incidence. It means the bullet earth. The practice of firing in air should be strictly banned. was fired from a distance too far for the shot to be heard. It is a well known fact that a rifle bullet fired upward in air at a non vertical angle Acknowledgments follows a parabola path and covers a long distance. Further a soft nose None. bullet of 8mm caliber having six right handed land and grooves was recovered from the body during postmortem. The caliber and number Conflicts of interest of land and grooves present on the bullet shows that it was fired by The author declares that there are no conflicts of interest. some standard .315 caliber company made rifle. This rifle produce quite prominent sound when fired i.e. the sound of its fire can’t be References unnoticed. Further bullet fired from such a rifle can cover a very long distance. On the basis of above findings it can be concluded that the 1. Stewart Michael G Head, Face, Neck Trauma. Comprehensive bullet was fired by someone in air with standard .315 caliber company Management. Thieme Medical Publishers, New York. 2005;189. made rifle and on its return journey it hit the upper side of the man’s 2. Fourth of July Gunfire Reduction Program. Official web site of the Los shoulder. However, if a bullet is fired upward at a non-vertical angle Angeles Police Department. (a far more probable possibility), it will maintain its spin and will 3. Adam SK, Osborne S. Critical care nursing: science and practice. (2nd have a high enough speed to be lethal on impact. A bullet travelling at edition), Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. 2005;537. only 150 feet per second (46m/s) to 170 feet per second (52m/s) can penetrate human skin,1 and at less than 200 feet per second (60m/s), 4. Ordog GJ, Dornhoffer P, Ackroyd G, et al. Spent bullets and their injuries: it can penetrate the skull.2 A bullet that does not penetrate the skull the result of firing weapons into the sky. J Trauma. 1994;37(6):1003‒1006. may still result in an intracranial injury.3 Because of this potentiality, 5. Puerto Rico. New Year’s Eve Injuries Caused by Celebratory Gunfire. firing a gun into the air is illegal in many parts of world. People are 2003;53(50):1174‒1175. injured, sometimes fatally, when bullets discharged into the air fall 6. Longmore T. Gunshot Injuries, Their History, Characteristic Features, back down. The mortality rate among those struck by falling bullets Complications, and General Treatment: with statistics concerning them is about 32%, compared with about 2–6% normally associated with as they have been met in warfare. (2nd edition). 1895. gunshot wounds.4 A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 80% of celebratory gunfire-related 7. Incorvaia AN, Poulos DM, Jones RN, et al. Can a Falling Bullet Be injuries are to the head, feet, and Shoulders.5 The higher mortality is Lethal at Terminal Velocity? Cardiac Injury Caused by a Celebratory Bullet. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007;83(1):283‒284. related to the higher incidence of head wounds from falling bullets. First noted case of stray bullet death in India is way back to December 1859: An autopsy showed a servant, who suddenly fell dead for no apparent reason, was mortally wounded from a bullet fired from a distance. The falling bullet had sufficient energy to pass through the victim’s shoulder, a rib, a lung, his heart and diaphragm.6 between the years 1985-1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries 38 of them died.7 Kuwaitis celebrating in 1991 at the end of the Gulf War by firing weapons into the air caused 20 deaths from falling bullets.7 Figure 2 Autopsy revealed that the bullet traveled almost straight from upper to lower part of the body without any exit wound but the area surrounding the spot was almost plane, without any tall tree and high-rise structure. Citation: Sharma DK, Tomar S. The stray bullet. Forensic Res Criminol Int J. 2015;1(1):27‒28. DOI: 10.15406/frcij.2015.01.00006

References (7)

  1. Stewart Michael G Head, Face, Neck Trauma. Comprehensive Management. Thieme Medical Publishers, New York. 2005;189.
  2. Fourth of July Gunfire Reduction Program. Official web site of the Los Angeles Police Department.
  3. Adam SK, Osborne S. Critical care nursing: science and practice. (2 nd edition), Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. 2005;537.
  4. Ordog GJ, Dornhoffer P, Ackroyd G, et al. Spent bullets and their injuries: the result of firing weapons into the sky. J Trauma. 1994;37(6):1003-1006.
  5. Puerto Rico. New Year's Eve Injuries Caused by Celebratory Gunfire. 2003;53(50):1174-1175.
  6. Longmore T. Gunshot Injuries, Their History, Characteristic Features, Complications, and General Treatment: with statistics concerning them as they have been met in warfare. (2 nd edition). 1895.
  7. Incorvaia AN, Poulos DM, Jones RN, et al. Can a Falling Bullet Be Lethal at Terminal Velocity? Cardiac Injury Caused by a Celebratory Bullet. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007;83(1):283-284.

FAQs

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What outcomes are associated with celebratory gunfire injuries in urban areas?add

The study indicates that the mortality rate among those struck by falling bullets is approximately 32%, significantly higher than the 2-6% rate for typical gunshot wounds.

How does bullet caliber affect the lethality of falling bullets?add

Research shows that a soft nose bullet of 8mm caliber can maintain lethal speeds upon descent, with speeds over 150 feet per second capable of penetrating human skin.

What historical evidence exists regarding stray bullet deaths in India?add

The first recorded case of a stray bullet death in India dates back to December 1859, revealing long-standing risks associated with celebratory gunfire.

What explains the difference in injury severity from falling bullets?add

A CDC study highlights that 80% of celebratory gunfire-related injuries occur to the head, feet, and shoulders, correlating with higher mortality rates from head wounds.

When did the issues of celebratory gunfire-related injuries peak in specific studies?add

From 1985 to 1992, the King/Drew Medical Center treated 118 people for falling-bullet injuries, documenting 38 fatalities during that period.

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Kagan Basarslan

Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi, 2013

We report the case of a 45-year-old man with a gunshot injury as an example of spontaneous migration of a metallic foreign body within the brain. Initial computed tomography showed the bullet in the right frontal region. In the control scan of the restorative surgery, radiological examination revealed that the bullet had migrated posteriorly due to the effect of gravity, lodging in the entrance hole of posy parietal lobe. Although there are a few literature reports of spontaneous migration of a bullet within the brain, this case was unique as the patient was fully conscious and need to second operation to prevent any neurological deficit

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Aspects Related to the Analysis of the Terminal Effect of Non-Lethal Kinetic Projectiles
Razvan Mircioaga

Journal of Military Technology, 2021

The paper studies the issue of interaction and energy transfer between non-lethal kinetic projectiles and the human body. It aims to present a method for determining the risk and level of injury to the body by assessing and analyzing the maximum force applied to a rigid wall by a non-lethal projectile. The experimental shootings with the Mossberg 500 were carried out for a distance of 2.8 m from the target. The ammunition used for the tests was an improvised ammunition.

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A rare cause of foot drop: Tired bullet
egemen küçük

World Journal of Emergency Medicine

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Handbook of Ballistics_C. Cranz
Felice Nunziata
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2. A Fatal Nail Gun Injury — An Unusual Ricochet?
Kasinathan Nadesan

Medicine, Science and the Law, 2000

An 18-year-old construction worker suddenly collapsed while handling a power-actuated nail gun and died shortly after. A neat, almost circular puncture wound was found on the front of his left chest. No fire-arm residues were detected on the surrounding skin. The police stated that it was an accidental injury, at a construction site, where a nail fired from a nail gun by the deceased had deflected off the wall and struck him on the front of the chest. Since the entry wound appeared to be a neat hole, and that too on the front of the left chest overlying the heart area, there was reluctance on the part of the pathologist to accept it as an accidental injury due to a ricochet. A visit to the scene, interrogation of witnesses, examination of the alleged tool and post-mortem X-ray of the deceased were undertaken prior to autopsy. A bent nail was found in the heart. The scene visit and the subsequent autopsy revealed that the nail took a roughly circular flightpath after it had struck th...

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