Projectile  Forensics The Scenario:

It is the morning of January 1, 2014, during the new year celebration, you heard gun shots at a distant. Mang Ernesto you neighbor, woke up to find his five year old bull dog dead of a gunshot wound. You begin to think that the gun shots hear d the night before may have something to do with the incident. The local barangay tanod is intrigued by your theory and introduce you to the crime scene investigators on the case. The barangay police are taking the incident very seriously because these random gunshots could have killed anyone. It is your job to help the crime scene investigators to pinpoint the location at which the shots originated.

Crime Scene Notes:

The bullet extracted from the dog has been matched to a .45 caliber pistol. This gun releases bullets with an exit velocity of 380 m/s. The bullet entered the dog at an angle of 700 from the horizontal.

There are three suspects in the neighborhood that are registered owners of .45 pistol:

    Arthur Alpore    Lives 500 m away

            Arthur has a record of noise violations for loud parties he frequently holds at his 

            residence.

   

    Carlos Baloy    Lives 2 km away

            Has no criminal record

    Ramon Reyes    Lives 5 km away

            Ramon has a record that includes possession of prohibited drugs. He served time 

             in prison and released after the completion of sentence.

The dog was lying on Mang Ernesto’s deck when it was shot. The deck is 1.75 m above the ground.

Initial Report:

Based on the information collected in the crime scene, describe how you plan to proceed. Include a discussion of the suspects and other information from the scene. What do you think is the most important piece of information or evidence?

This case is indeed alarming and an action must be done immediately to ensure the safety of the residents within the Barangay. A .45 pistol bullet can travel about 5,000 ft, there is a high chance that someone can be killed.  Investigators including myself should take careful measurements, have detailed records, and able to draw understandable sketches in order to catch the perpetrator of this incident. Evidence must be clear and specific since it is the most important key to prove someone guilty. The three suspects must be detained for questioning and have their records investigated by the authorities.  The most important piece of information of this case is to identify the projectile motion. The guns from the three suspects must be tested in order to find a match. A forensic firearm examination must be taken so that the characteristics of the firearms will be determined.​