Nassau County, New York. This individual has a stellate-shaped contact wound to the head, stippling, and soot deposit. No further info. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases. This gas causes the expansion of subcutaneous space and pressure, which results in an explosive injury, tearing, and lacerating the skin and subcutaneous tissue, resulting in the stellate wound. Additionally, the expanding gases also cause a back-splatter of soft-tissue and blood onto the firearm and fingers.
Fig.1 Stellate-shaped contact wound to the head.
In a hard contact wound, gas expansion within the subcutaneous tissues may result in a muzzle imprint (abrasion resembling the shape of the muzzle = Werkgartner mark) or in an irregular, stellate appearance with a central defect and radiating lacerations (typically seen in gunshot wounds to the head).
Stippling (or powder tattooing) is red to orange or brownish punctate abrasions surrounding the entrance wounds as a result of pieces of gunpowder expelled from the barrel and striking the skin. Soot deposition is due to the carbon produced by the combustion of the gunpowder that exits the barrel and deposits on the skin surrounding the entrance wound.
Fig.2 Gases exit the barrel before the projectile.
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