Medical Examiner: Firearms & Toolmarks

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Public Health Tower

Forensics

Firearms & Toolmarks
Photo collage of Firearms images

This section’s primary duty is to examine any firearms submitted for operability. Test exemplars from the firearm are microscopically compared to evidence items such as bullets (shot) or cartridge cases (shotshells) to determine whether or not these items were fired from or in a particular firearm.

Other examinations in the laboratory include:

· The examination of toolmarks to determine whether or not they were produced by a particular tool and/or to provide investigative leads as to the type of tool utilized during the commission of a crime. Typical case examples include a screw driver used to pry, knife blade stab or cut, bolt cutters or lock picking tools used to gain entry.

· The restoration of obliterated information, such as the intentional removal of a firearms serial number, by chemical etching.

· Visual examination and chemical analysis of evidence for the presence of gunshot residues and patterns for comparison to exemplar patterns fired at known distances with the suspect firearm and ammunition to determine a muzzle-to-target distance at the time of firing.

· Autopsy consultations regarding gunshot wounds

The examiners provide instruction to legal professionals and the law enforcement community regarding laboratory services and capabilities. Crime scene investigators and detectives are instructed in the proper methods for collecting, marking, preserving and submitting pertinent evidence during workshops, tours, or via e-mail or telephone communications.

Content Last Modified on 7/26/2011 11:09:48 AM

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	Accredited by National Association of Medical Examiners and the Association of Crime Laboratory Directors Accreditation Board. Tarrant County Medical Examiner and Forensic Science Laboratories Serving Tarrant, Denton and Parker Counties 200 Feliks Gwozdz Place, Fort Worth, TX 76104-4919 Telephone (817) 920-5700 Fax (817) 920-5713 Privacy Policy \| Accessibility Statement \| Media Inquiries Technical (Web) Issues \| General Information \| Web Site Awards Request for Documents under the Public Information Act County Telephone Operator: 817- 884-1111 Tarrant County provides the information contained in this web site as a public service. Every effort is made to ensure that information provided is correct. However, in any case where legal reliance on information contained in these pages is required, the official records of Tarrant County should be consulted. Tarrant County is not responsible for the content of, nor endorses any site which has a link from the Tarrant County web site. 100 E. Weatherford, Fort Worth, Texas 76196 Copyright 2001-2005 Tarrant County, TX