American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Practice Exam

What is a distinguishing feature of a distant-range gunshot wound?

1. Presence of soot surrounding the wound

2. Absence of gunshot residue

3. Persistent fouling around the wound

4. Presence of stippling

The correct answer is: Absence of gunshot residue

A distinguishing feature of a distant-range gunshot wound is the absence of gunshot residue. When a firearm is discharged from a distance, the gases and particles that are expelled typically do not travel far enough to land on the skin surrounding the wound. This lack of residue signifies that the shot was not fired at close range, which is characterized instead by the presence of soot and other residues that come from the gun when it is discharged nearby. In contrast, other features include the presence of stippling, which denotes closer contact between the firearm and the target, as stippling consists of tiny, punctate abrasions resulting from unburned powder and is indicative of a gunshot wound inflicted from an intermediate range. Additionally, persistent fouling can occur with close-range wounds but would not typically be found in distant-range contexts. The presence of soot surrounding a wound is also characteristic of contact or near-contact gunshot wounds, highlighting the degree of proximity between the firearm and the victim at the time of discharge. Thus, the absence of gunshot residue serves as a clear marker to identify a distant-range gunshot wound.