Question

A young woman was found with a gunshot wound to the forehead. Investigator Barnes finds a large amount of gunpowder residue around the wound. What does this tell the investigator?

a. The shooter fired from several blocks away.
b. The shooter fired the gun close to her forehead.
c. The shooter's gun was malfunctioning.
d. The gun was a small caliber.

Answer 1

b. The shooter fired the gun close to her forehead.

Step-by-step explanation:

If gunpowder residue was found around the wound it tells investigators that the shooter fired the gun close to her forehead. Gunpowder is expelled from a gun when it is fired and only travels a small distance, therefore wherever gunpowder is found means that the gun was fired very close to that area. Experts say that gunpowder residue travels about 3-5ft from where the gun was fired at the very farthest distance.