It is not unusual for an investigator to arrive at a shooting scene and only have the damages left behind as evidence. Bullet holes can play a key role in the investigation, providing information such as the location of the shooter based on the appearance of the defect. This is why it’s important for the investigator to have a working knowledge of the characteristics of bullet holes, and common substrate materials. Frequently encountered substrates, such as glass or sheet metal, have been extensively studied and are found to act predictably when struck by a projectile.

In this case study that will be presented, the investigator observed an unusual defect located around a bullet hole during a shooting scene. Upon conducting research the authors of this case study were unable to locate any reported findings on this particular phenomena. The facts of the scene will be presented as well as the characteristics of the bullet hole, and why this is important to the investigator.