Final answer:
The spatter pattern on the west wall could have been caused by arterial spurts, suggesting a wound that severed an artery, or other violent actions such as blunt force trauma, gunshots, or blood cast-off from an object.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spatter pattern found on the west wall of the prime minister's outer office, where the deputy was found, could have been caused by a variety of factors, including blunt force trauma, gunshot, arterial spurts, or cast-off blood. The selection of arterial spurts indicates a significant amount of blood being expelled forcefully from an artery, which is indicative of a wound that severs an artery causing pulsatile blood flow characteristic of such spatter. Blunt force trauma may cause a different type of blood splatter, typically with impacts causing the blood to radiate outwards in a pattern that corresponds with the force exerted. Similarly, gunshot wounds can create a backspatter or forwards spatter, depending on the location of the wound and the direction of the shot, and cast-off blood patterns arise when blood is flung from an object, like a weapon.