AFTE Store - The Behavior of Expelled Glass Fragments During Projectile Penetration and Perforation of Glass

Bullets striking common forms of flat glass with an orthogonal intercept angle result in a cloud of ejected glass fragments that are in concert with the exiting bullet+s flight path. This is not the case with strikes at angles other than orthogonal. In these situations, the expelled glass fragments follow a very different course from that of the exiting projectile. This is both counter-intuitive and a potential source of serious error in the evaluation and reconstruction of shooting incidents involving shots through glass such as windshields, vehicle side windows and windows in buildings. The flight path of the ejected glass fragments is, however, predictable and is dictated by the orientation of the plane of the glass opposite the projectile+s impact site. In all cases, these expelled glass particles have considerable velocity and can produce downrange deposits and even damage on a variety of surfaces. They can also produce pseudo-stippling of the skin in individuals located downrange of bullet-struck glass and near the projectile+s exit site. The distribution and location of such pseudo-stippling and its relationship to the associated bullet hole in glass have important reconstructive value.

Full Journal: AFTE Journal Vol 43 No 1 (2011)