Question

Why is gunshot residue important for a forensic scientist? What are the potential complications with this type of evidence?

Answer 1

Answer 1: A gun shot residue is the powdery discharge that release after the firing process of the firearm. The powdery discharge consists of unburnt or partially burnt primer, propellants, fragments of the projectiles, cartilage cases  and residues present inside the firearm.

It is important for the forensic scientists so as to detect the culprit as these residues are left on the clothes and hands after firing. It can be used to identify the direction and distance of firing.

Answer 2: The complications associated with gunshot residue are:

1. The particles are very small and may exhibit low density they are likely to blow by wind so they may not be found at some crime scene.

2. As the powdery discharge consists of explosive particles in small amounts but on testing can explode and can cause harm.

Answer 2

A residue from a gunshot is most likely gun powder, which tells you what kind of bullet was shot and the type of gun that was used to shoot the target/victim/person. Some complications may be that there is more than one gun or weapon which uses that residue, so it may be hard to pinpoint it and the bullet can't really tell you who it is unless there's DNA on the bullet, and the chemicals of the bullet may even destroy evidence.