title: Characterization of the gunshot suicides.
abstract: The aim of this study is to present the characteristics of gunshot suicides by highlighting the ones with multiple entrance wounds. The criminal investigation reports of suicides (n=318) during the period 1991-2000, in the central judicial district of Eskisehir were investigated. 20.4% of all suicide cases (n=65) used firearms. Firearm suicides were more common in males and their frequency decreased as age increased. The usage of long-barrelled weapons was 47.7%. Among the long-barrelled gunshots, twelve were shotguns and the remaining were military riffles. Forty-five weapons were legal. Thirty-four out of 45 gunshot suicide victims had licensed weapons because of their occupations. In the majority of cases, (72.3%) the shooting distance was contact or near contact. Most of the entrance wounds (75.0%) were located in the head and neck region and the direction of the bullet path was upward and front-to-back. Of all the gunshot suicides, 6.1% (n=4) had multiple entrance and exit wounds. All of the victims were soldiers. In suicide cases using long-barrelled weapons (3/4), military rifles were set on automatic mode. In our study, at least eight of the victims survived for a period. To be able to increase the survival rate of the victims or improve the outcomes, intensive pre- and post-operative care is critical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Osmangazi University, Eskisehir,Turkey. ybalci@ogu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Canogullari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ulupinar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009790:Occupations; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*