This class is designed for investigators and prosecutors with either a minimum of one year of experience in the investigation of shooting incidents or who have completed the introductory class in shooting incident reconstruction. A brief review of the fundamentals of shooting incident reconstruction will be provided. Students will be given the opportunity to work with various equipment items and software related to shooting reconstruction topics. Lecture topics will be developed and illustrated through the extensive use of case studies. Mock shooting scenes will be processed and the results presented during mock court sessions in order to further develop students' skills. Students are provided with a comprehensive training manual. This is a 3 day (24 hour) class.Topics that will be discussed include the following:
- Review of shooting reconstruction fundamentals
- Interior ballistics
- Weapon action and safety designs
- Databases of value in shooting reconstruction
- Exterior ballistics
- Terminal ballistics
- Digital imaging in shooting reconstruction
- Shooting reconstructions of historical significance
- Advanced wound ballistics
- The preparation and presentation of court exhibits
- Police involved shootings
- Drive-by shootings
- Special techniques in shooting reconstruction
Requirements: Students are required to have a ruler graduated in millimeters and inches, as well as a protractor. A scientific calculator is highly recommended (i.e. with trigonometric functions). A micrometer caliper is very useful.