Firearm deaths in Yorkshire and Humberside

doi:10.1016/0379-0738(92)90012-L

Forensic Science International

Volume 57, Issue 2, December 1992, Pages 181-191

https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-0738(92)90012-L Get rights and content

Abstract

Firearm fatalities occuring in Yorkshire and Humberside between 1975 – 1991 were examined; 130 cases were found, 64 were homicides, 55 suicides and 11 were accidental or unclassifiable. All but two of the suicides were men. Shotguns were the most frequent weapon used in both suicides and homicides. Of the 55 suicides, 17 were by men who had murdered before committing suicide. In 15 of these cases the assailants knew their victims. The other two cases involved murder of police officers. These cases were mostly with shotguns. In both homicide and suicide, rifled weapons and handguns were infrequently used. Most suicides and homicides occurred at home. Alcohol was again shown to be a significant factor in suicides. Overall firearms account for less than 10% of homicides in England and Wales and less than 5% of suicides in men and is most unusual in women.

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In these cases, the role of the autopsy is crucial. The typical features of gunshot wounds have been extensively reported in the forensic literature in numerous case series, especially between 1980 and 2000.1–6 While the classic morphological findings of gunshot wounds are primarily useful in distinguishing between entrance and exit wounds,7 features such as the location of the wound, the range of fire and the trajectory of the bullet can help differentiate a self-inflicted injury from a non-self-inflicted one.8
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This retrospective study analyzes post-mortem examination data of 164 firearm-related casualties recorded by the Brescia, Italy Institute of Forensic Medicine between the years 1994 and 2006. The following variables were considered: year, month and day of death, gender and age of the victim, manner of death (homicide, suicide, accidental), type of weapon used, anatomical site and number of wounds, scene of death, and, whenever requested by the local District Attorney’s Office, results of the toxicological examinations conducted on the corpses of the deceased.
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Firearm deaths in Yorkshire and Humberside

Abstract

The Choice of Weapons in Firearm Suicides

Am. J. Publ. Health

Criminal Statistics in England and Wales

Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Mortality Statistics: Cause

Firearm fatalities in Jordan

Med. Sci. Law

A suicidal gunshot wound of the back

J. Forensic Sci.

An investigation of the pattern of firearms fatalities before and after introduction of new legislation in Denmark

Med. Sci. Law

Sites of suicidal gunshot wounds

J. Forensic Sci.

Shotgun suicides

Forensic Sci. Gaz.

Gunshot suicides in Victoria, Australia, 1988

Med. Sci. Law