Pattern of Firearm Injuries And Fatalities Referred To The Medico-legal Authority, Ministry of Justice, Port Said, during Egyptian revolution year; 2011. (A retrospective study)

Abstract

This study is a retrospective analysis of firearm injuries and deaths examined by Port Said Medico-legal Department of the medico-legal authority of the Egyptian Ministry of Justice in Port Said governorate, which lies at the north east of Egypt during the Egyptian revolution year, 2011. The study aimed to outline the pattern and incidence rate of firearm injuries and deaths in Port Said governorate during the year of the Egyptian revolution 2011, investigate the firearm cases from the medico legal points of view, highlight the outcome of the firearm injured cases as disfigurement, disabilities, and permanent infirmities, and hence compensation needed. Moreover, to highlight if any new types of weapons or missiles were used in the field of wounding during the year 2011. Data of cases was collected from the archives of the medico-legal reports written by the forensic pathologists who examined the cases in our study, and from the papers sent from the general prosecutor offices. The data collected were as follows:  The total number of cases with firearm injuries and fatalities.  Circumstances around the crime: (manner, season, time, site and motive of the crime and the type of the weapon alleged to be used).  Socio-demographic data of the victims and the assailants: (age, gender, job, relationship between the victim and the assailant and cross sex violence).  Characteristics of the inlet and exit wounds  The presence of associated other patterns of trauma and their types.  If x-ray was done or not, and its findings  If the clothes were examined or not, and their findings  Range of firing, direction of firingand direction of trajectory line  Types of the weapons used, types of missiles and calibers of the weapons usedand whether blood was found on weaponsor not  Outcome of the firearm injuries and cause of death in the deceased  Toxicological analysis