What can stippling patterns reveal about a gunshot wound?

Stippling patterns, which are the small specks of gunpowder residue that can be found on the skin around a gunshot wound, provide important clues about the distance between the muzzle of the firearm and the target at the moment the shot was fired. Specifically, the density and distribution of stippling can indicate whether the shot was fired at close range or from a greater distance.

When a firearm is discharged at close range, the stippling will be more pronounced and concentrated around the entry wound because the gunpowder and particles have not dispersed significantly. As the distance increases, the stippling becomes sparser; at a certain distance, it may even be absent altogether, indicating that the shot was likely fired from far away. Therefore, analyzing stippling patterns helps forensic experts determine the approximate muzzle-to-target distance, which is a critical factor in understanding the circumstances surrounding a shooting incident.