Why Is It Important To Collect Firearm Evidence

Processing firearms especially for a crime scene is really important. Making sure none of the evidence on the firearm is tampered with or changed can make or break a case. That’s why forensics take collecting firearm evidence very carefully from the scene at an upmost careful priority.

The first and one of the most important steps of collecting evidence is photographing the scene before anything is touched or moved around. Then making sure that the firearm is unloaded or on safety, but always treat a firearm as if it was loaded at all times. When unloading a gun it must be with the most careful care to preserve the evidence. Evidence that can be on a firearm to be preserved is fingerprints, blood, hair, and fibers. The firearm is to be handled on the areas least likely to have fingerprints on.

When picked up from the scene examine the weapon for possible evidence for example blood, fibers, fingerprints, and paint.

If you are doubtful about what you are seeing, then do not dust for prints just submit the firearm to the lab for examination. Personally delivering the evidence to the lab is preferred. A loaded firearm have a special case to be transported in. If being sent through the mail, it must be unloaded and packaged securely. Also make a sketch of the area that all evidence is recovered from. Make sure to include the location measurements. The serial number should be recorded as well as photographed. Older firearms do not serial numbers so they are to be tagged and pictures taken very well.

Once the firearm is taken to the lab it is dusted for fingerprints and examined for blood, fibers, paint, or anything else that can be evidence. The police will compare the firearm to the bullets that are found around crime scene. If they do not match to the firearm found at the scene that means the police have to look for another gun somewhere around the scene. They also can compare gun shell casings to suspect’s personal

firearms.
I’ve heard of a case where someone was shot in their home, and when the police went to the scene there was no weapon to be found. They examined the bullets left at the scene and in the victim. They had two men that they suspected were responsible for the murder, but one had no gun while the other did. They checked to see if the gun matched the bullets left at the scene and they didn’t. The police were left at a dead end but they then found a gun in the alley behind the house that matched the casings. When they dusted for fingerprints they found that it was the other suspect’s fingerprints and arrested him.
I think it’s funny how in a lot of cases it’s always the person you least expect to have done it but they are the ones. It is very surprising and sad that a lot of the times it also is someone who that person trusted who does such a horrible thing to them. Also in most drive by cases it’s hard to get a connection to a gun because they go into hiding right after.