A new research collaboration between the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) and the National Board of Forensic Medicine (RMV) investigates wound channels from fatal firearm violence. The aim is to improve forensic methods and contribute to the dimensioning of healthcare in wartime situations.

– For FOI, we are very interested in understanding weapon effects and the damage projectiles cause to humans. This provides an opportunity to evaluate our own ammunition, as well as an opponent's ammunition, says David Andersson, researcher at FOI's Weapons, Protection, and Security division, in a press release from FOI.

The study is based on documentation of fatal firearm violence in the Stockholm region between 2021 and 2024. Researchers have analyzed 20 wound channels from two different types of ammunition: 9x19 mm and 7.62x39 mm. The documentation includes X-rays, autopsy reports, photos, and crime scene investigations, with all personal data anonymized.

– These are the most common ones you see. 9 millimeter is pistol ammunition. The other type of ammunition is rifle ammunition, the same used in hunting or military contexts, such as the Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle. It is a common Russian ammunition that is important to have knowledge about, says David Andersson.

The researchers have also created 3D images of the wound channels to quantitatively compare the injuries. The goal has been to see if different gunshot wounds can be linked to specific weapon types.

– By comparing how the injuries appear in the deceased victims, we want to see if one can draw conclusions from the characteristics of the injury about whether a pistol or rifle was used, says Lydia Kahn, forensic pathologist at RMV and researcher at Karolinska Institute.

The results do not yet show statistically significant differences between the injuries from different ammunition types, but the researchers plan to expand the study with more observations.

– This is a pilot study with few observations, and we see signs that it would be possible to demonstrate differences with more observations. We believe we see differences clinically. The question is how we can best create models that can demonstrate what we see with the eye, says Lydia Kahn.

The collaboration between FOI and RMV is described as unusual.

– Working together on such a dataset with common questions, I would say, is unique even internationally, says David Andersson.