title: Rubber bullet injury: case report with autopsy observation and literature review.
abstract: Rubber bullets are one of the less-lethal (nonlethal) weapons, which are increasingly used to incapacitate dangerous individuals, avoiding use of firearms. An autopsy examination of a man who was shot with improved rubber bullets revealed that the bullet caused pulmonary contusion. The bullet was 30 g in weight and consisted of a sponge foam nose with 40-mm diameter and a plastic body. He was not incapacitated and died of suicidal gunshot wound. The case raised a question as to how severe an injury is necessary to deter a person without causing death. A variety of rubber bullets have been used in the world, and they have occasionally produced severe or lethal injuries. A review of the literature demonstrated that the feature of injuries appeared to be related to the type of missile. It becomes more important for a forensic pathologist to be familiar with rubber bullets and injuries caused by them as the use of less-lethal weapon increases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, Ind, USA. mkobayashi@bexar.org
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Mellen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D003288:Contusions / Q000473:pathology*; D044709:Forensic Ballistics; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D016495:Police; D012408:Rubber; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D013405:Suicide; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D012408:Rubber