Suicide by shotgun

Suicide by shotgun: entrance wound in the mouth and facial major lesions. It has been clearly established that firearm availability is linked to high mortality by suicide among individuals who had bought firearms in the recent past. A clear example is given by the fact that, among individuals who died from firearm injuries in the USA in 1997, a total of 54% died by suicide. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the head, and brain may be expelled, the so-called “burst head” effect.