Citation

Hartwig S, Tsokos M, Herre S, Oesterhelweg L. Rechtsmedizin 2010; 20(4): 262-269.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-010-0689-x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Fatal gunshot injuries with unusual firearms are rare. A total of 16 cases of suicide by self-constructed or manipulated firearms from the years 2007-2009 are described. Technical characteristics of the weapons involved as well as morphological findings and incident reconstructions are presented. In addition a review of the literature is given. The weapons involved in this study were 6 self-constructed shooting devices, 5 manipulated blank firearms, 2 unmodified blank firearms, 1 signal pistol for maritime usage, 1 sawn-off shotgun and 1 replicate of a muzzle loader. The efficiency of the weapons involved achieved by manipulation or by construction is shown in this study as well as indications for the medicolegal expertise in such cases.