An Analysis of Firearms-Related Deaths Between 1993-2010: A Retrospective Study

Firearm injuries (FI) are the most common cause of death among military personnel. In this study, postmortem examination and autopsy records of deaths that resulting from firearm injuries were examined retrospectively in the Department of Forensic Medicine of Gulhane Military Medical Academy between 1993-2010. We determined the characteristics of these 153 firearm deaths which comprised (%36.6) of all medicolegal autopsies. There were 152 men (99.3 %) and 1 female (0.7 %). The mean age of the cases was 23.1 years (4.7; range, 20-43 years). Cases were examined according to the manner of death and it is determined that 41.8% of cases were suicide, 39.9% was homicide.
The most common sites for the firearm entrance wounds were in head and neck region of 109 (71.2%) of victims, in chest of 26 (17%), in abdomen of 14 (9.2%). Type of firearm was not clear in most cases. As a conclusion, We think that keeping the forensic and medical records complete and properly lead to conclude in rapid and accurate of the legal process and to reflect more accurate and objective results in retrospective research that will be made in the future.