- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
- Safety
- Worksheets and Reports
- Selected Bibliography
- Ethics
- Assessments
National Institute of Justice
The Research, Development, and Evaluation
Agency of the U.S. Department of Justice
Fired Bullets
Home > Safety > General Guidelines > Fired Bullets
Bullet packaging
Fired bullets are frequently found in two locations:
- At crime scenes, by crime scene technicians
- In bodies after shooting incidents, by medical examiners during autopsies
Fired bullets may bear bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis or AIDS virus in blood, bone, and other tissues deposited on their surfaces after striking, passing through, or being recovered from shooting victims. Crime scene technicians, investigators, firearm examiners, and medical examiners should be very knowledgeable in the safe packaging and marking of fired bullets as potential biohazards.
