Shot in the face
Posted by GruntDoc on December 9th, 2006
…and lived to tell about it.
Recently, there was a patient who was exhibiting that classic risk factor for assault, “minding their own business”, when ’some dude’ shot said patient. At very close range, with a pistol.
Patient arrives alert and talking, so some scout films are taken:
Follow the little metal fragments: they go in the left maxillary sinus, turn 90 degrees when the base of the skull is hit, and track down the neck.
Nothing vital was transected. Patient lived, despite literally being ’shot in the face’.
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December 9th, 2006 at 7:07 am
Blimey.
December 9th, 2006 at 7:12 am
Yep, was just sittin’ on my porch, readin’ my Bible, not botherin’ anybody, when some dude . . .
December 9th, 2006 at 10:18 am
I had a patient once who was also shot in the face in a shoot-me, shoot-you sort of thing with two women fighting over a boyfriend. One shot, the other grabbed the gun and shot back. A 22 pistol. In one, the slug was seen on xray nicely flattened against the skull. In the other, the entrance wound was in the cheek. Skull xray showed… nada. Took a belly film and there was the slug in her stomach. It had travelled into the sinus, back of throat, then swallowed. I was quite proud of myself for having thought to order the belly film.
December 9th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
You know, every place I’ve worked appears to have roving bands of dudes attacking people minding their own business. Often the victims are intoxicated at 2 AM and out on the street while minding their own business. We need to take this past the anecdotal stage and look for funding for a study. Not that it would solve anything but the funding would be good.
December 9th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Now there is a prefect example of letting you know…you don’t go until it’s really your time. A shot to the face, and still able to live to tell about it.
December 9th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
Great Xrays.
And here we see, beautifully illustrated, the reason why the military and various SWAT schools teach one to shoot only at specific areas on the skull.
The human skull is incredibly tough in certain spots, and I’ve seen many cases where rounds were deflected. Shooting at specific areas (which I won’t outline) greatly lessens the likelihood that you’ll encounter this problem. When your shot has to count, it helps to know what you’re doing.
December 9th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Some Dude is a notoriously dangerous character. I always recommend that, for personal safety, one always drink more than 2 beers and intrude in other people’s affairs. Because, if you are minding your own busisness and have only had 2 beers Some Dude while undoubtly sucker punch you.
December 9th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
That looks totally painful. (And Tom Kearns’ comment totally cracks me up!)
December 10th, 2006 at 12:16 am
I think Tom may be on to something here…
December 10th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
Caliber?
December 10th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
I don’t think they took it out, so I cannot say for sure. 9mm is very popular here, but the projectile shadow looks ‘longer’ than a 9; it may be that the jacket is sliding off backward off the center, elongating its shodow.
December 10th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
TheNewGuy,
You said
Well NewGuy before getting all fancy with the headshots and what not you might want to focus on basic markmanship and fire discipline, take a look at the linked post below, look for entry on Monday, November 27, 2006- – - Proving the Colonel right
One 12-year veteran fired his weapon 31 times, emptying two full magazines, [Police Commissioner Raymond] Kelly said.
In total, it is believed 50 bullets were fired, Kelly said. It was the first time any of the officers, who all carried 9 mm handguns, had been involved in a shooting, Kelly said.
FYI out of the 50 bullets fired 21 hit the suspects car, less then 50% of the shots fired
Like you said
December 10th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
Fixed link for my 8:17 post
Proving the colonel right
December 11th, 2006 at 3:31 am
you might want to focus on basic markmanship and fire discipline
I encourage anyone who carries a weapon to seek out as much professional training as possible.
I think that bullet is probably from a revolver… a .38 if one wanted to play the odds, based on what’s most commonly used to commit crimes. If you examine that lateral skull film, the projectile appears to have two or three base rings, which is something you don’t see on many auto-pistol rounds.
That’d be my gestalt, anyway.