AFTE Store - A Case Study in the Use of Bullet Ricochet Experimentation to Provide Evidence in a Homicide

It is not unusual for a Firearm Examiner to refer to reference sources when presented with questions regarding events at a shooting scene. Often, satisfactory answers to these questions are found within the literature. In some cases, an examiner may be asked to perform experiments to ascertain facts relevant to a specific shooting incident. These facts may be important as investigators and prosecutors determine how to proceed. This article details the steps taken to determine the behavior of bullets when they ricochet off of asphalt pavement. Bullet stability, bullet damage, and ricochet angle were examined. Information gathered during these experiments was compared to information gathered during crime scene processing, information provided by the defendant during interrogations, and conclusions drawn by the medical examiner.