Suicide with a box cutter

The woman in this photograph committed suicide with a box cutter by severing the peroneal artery, which is found on the outer side of the middle third of the leg. There are bloodstains on the floor, with three large projection spatters—a result of the pressure created by arterial spurts.

In the case of a suicide involving a knife, if the instrument was being used to cut perpendicular to the skin, the wound will appear in the shape of a teardrop with clear edges, and ends or ‘tails’ that can be made superficially, and only touching the epidermis.

Arterial spurts, also known as arterial bleeding, arterial spurting, or arterial gushing, the amount of blood loss can be copious, occur very rapidly, and can led to death by a process called exsanguination.