AFTE Store - The Chemical Evaluation of an Alleged Shooter’s Shirt

A large fabric panel designed to simulate the front panel of a shirt and two fabric panels designed to simulate the forward ends of shirt sleeves, were attached to an individual while discharging a firearm. Each set of three panels was collected after single test shots and subjected to traditional chemical (sodium rhodizonate, Griess, and Modified Griess) and microscopic examinations. Five sample sets of single shots were collected. An additional sample set was collected where the shooter fired a series of five consecutive shots. This study was designed in order to evaluate the probative value of conducting traditional chemical examinations on suspected shooter’s clothing. A written survey regarding general laboratorypractices towards this type of evidence was also conducted.