Investigation Guideline

Investigation Guideline
Product: Nonpowder Guns (BB and pellet guns)
Appendix #: 114
Date amended: March 2005
NOTE: This investigation guideline does not address paintball
guns. Refer to Appendix 134 if doing a paintball gun
investigation.
I. Introduction
A. Background Information
In 2003, there were an estimated 20,958 emergency room-treated nonpowder gun-related injuries, 59.8% of
which involved victims under 17 years old. During the same period, 36.2% of all nonpowder gun-related
injuries were potentially serious injuries to the neck, head, and face region. There was a higher than
average hospitalization rate, 7.2%, associated with nonpowder gun-related injuries than with NEISS as a
whole (5.3%). Approximately 3,370 of the 2003 ER-treated injuries were paintball related.

B. Product Descriptions
Nonpowder guns (rifles or pistols) include BB guns, pellet guns, or combination BB/pellet guns which use
a nonpowder projectile propulsion mechanism. Typical propulsion mechanisms include spring-action,
compressed air (involving a pump and a cylinder device), and compressed carbon dioxide (involving
disposable pre-filled cylinders).

C. Specific Items of Interest
CPSC files document many shootings involving guns thought to be unloaded, sometimes because a BB or
pellet was lodged in the barrel and not apparent upon opening the chamber to check the bolt tip or shaking
the gun to listen for BBs.

D. Headquarters Contacts
Susan Bathalon, ESME (301) 504-7566

II. Instructions for Collecting Specific Information
We are only interested in accidental injuries. If you are unsure of the intent, assume it to be unintentional
until you learn otherwise. If you know it is intentional from the beginning, do an abbreviated investigation.

WARNING!
(1) Always assume the gun is loaded and treat the gun as if it is ready to fire.
(2) Never point the gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. Keep the muzzle
pointed in a safe direction in case of accidental discharge.
(3) Keep your fingers away from the trigger and do not rely on the gun’s safety
mechanisms to prevent an accidental discharge.
(4) If possible, open the bolt to verify that no BB is present at the magnetized bolt tip
and leave the bolt open. The presence of a pellet in the chamber cannot be
determined by inspection.

A. Synopsis
Use ATTACHED DATA RECORD SHEET to obtain specific information associated
with nonpowder gun related incidents.
Collect precise information about the victim, shooter, owner of the gun, the gun, and incident scenario in
every case. It may not be apparent why every question on the data record sheet is important. Treat every
question as critically important. Include a narrative summary of the sequence of events leading to the
incident. Address unique questions that arise in the course of a particular investigation in the narrative
summary.
Determine features of the incident scenario such as the activity when the shooting occurred (e.g., hunting,
target practice, playing), the relation of shooter to victim and owner to shooter (acquaintance, friend,
relative, stranger, etc.) whether the shooting was accidental, whether the shooter thought the gun was
unloaded (and if so, why).

B. Description of Incident Environment
Describe all relevant information on environmental factors such as lighting, weather (if incident occurred
outside), and any other relevant details concerning the incident environment. Estimate the distance
between the gun muzzle and victim when the shooting occurred.

C. Description of Interaction between Injured Person(s) and Product
Collect accurate physical information about the victim including date of birth, date of death, gender, race,
height, weight, etc. Obtain information from medical records, autopsy reports, birth or death certificates,
parents, and other reliable sources. Report the medical description of the injury, and cause of death- if
applicable, from medical and/or autopsy reports. Obtain demographic information about the shooter.

D. Description of Product (Involved in the injury)
Identify the make, model, serial number, date of manufacture, firing mechanism, and caliber of the gun.
Identify the projectile fired in the incident (BB, pellet, or dart), its manufacturer, and the specific product.
Obtain photographs of the gun (from left and right sides) and the projectile with appropriate measurement
scales in the pictures. Determine when and where the gun was purchased, who purchased it, who owned it
(shooter, victim, etc.), how it was obtained by the shooter, how familiar the shooter was with it, etc.

III. Photographs/ Diagrams of Incident Scene
Photograph the gun and the scene of the incident. Photograph the original packaging of the gun, if
available.

IV. Obtaining samples and documents related to the investigation
Obtain copies police reports, autopsy reports, death certificates, and/or any other authoritative investigative
reports of the incident. Obtain copies of the owner’s manual or other documents provided with the gun, if
available.

(DATA RECORD SHEET – Attached)

DATA RECORD SHEET
Investigation Guideline
PRODUCT:

Nonpowder Guns

TASK NUMBER __________________________ INCIDENT DATE ___________________________

A. VICTIM INFORMATION
1. Birth date ____________ 2. Date of Death ______________ 3. Age ____________
4. Height ______________ 5. Weight _________ pounds 6. Gender: Male Female
B. SHOOTER INFORMATION
7. Age ____ years

8. Gender: Male Female

C. GUN INFORMATION
9 What type of gun was involved? Rifle or Pistol
10. Is the gun a BB gun, pellet gun, or combination BB/pellet gun? BB Pellet BB/Pellet
11. What is the CALIBER of the gun? .177 .22 Other:________
12. At the time of the incident, what was the caliber of the projectile?
13. What is the projectile type? BB Pellet Dart Other: __________
14. Does the gun have a single-shot magazine, multiple-shot magazine, or a reservoir?
Single-shot Multiple-shot Reservoir
15. What is the maximum velocity of this gun? _________________________________
*** Note: this is found in the instructional literature or on the package.
DO NOT fire the gun ***
16. What is the gun’s firing mechanism? Air CO 2 Spring Other: _______________
17. How many times (maximum) could the gun be pumped (0 if none)? _____________
*** Note: this is found in the instructional literature or on the package.
DO NOT pump the gun. ***
18. How many times was the gun pumped immediately prior to the incident?
19. Does the gun have a safety? Yes No Unknown

20. Are there any warnings or safety advisories on the gun itself? Yes No Unknown
If Yes, what do they say? ___________________________________________
21. What is the MAKE or BRAND of the gun? ______________________________
22. What is the MODEL NUMBER of the gun? _____________________________
23. What is the SERIAL NUMBER of the gun? ______________________________
24. WHEN was the gun purchased? ________________________________________
25. WHERE was the gun purchased? _______________________________________
26. WHY was the gun purchased? _________________________________________
D. SCENARIO INFORMATION
27. Was the shooting accidental or intentional? Accident Intentional Unknown
28. Did the shooter think the gun was unloaded before shooting? Yes No Unknown
29. If YES, did the shooter try to verify that the gun was unloaded? Yes No Unknown
30. If YES, how did the shooter check? Did the shooter (circle all that apply):
a. Shake the gun and listen for BBs in the magazine?
b. Open the bolt and check the bolt tip?
c. Fire the gun?
d. Other ___________________________________________
31. Was the gun aimed directly at the victim when the shooting occurred?
Yes No Unknown
32. Did the projectile ricochet off an object before hitting the victim? Yes No Unknown
33. Where was the victim when the shooting occurred? ___________________________
34. Where was the shooter when the shooting occurred? __________________________
35. What was the distance between the gun muzzle and victim when the shooting
occurred? ________________ feet (circle one: measured estimated)
36. Was an adult (18 years or older) present at the time of the shooting?
Yes No Unknown

37. Was the adult aware the gun was being used around the time of the incident?
38. If the victim died- did the owner of the gun know the gun was powerful enough to kill
someone?
Yes No Unknown
39. If the victim died- did the shooter know the gun was powerful enough to kill
someone?
Yes No Unknown
40. What relation was the shooter to the victim? (The shooter was a(n) ____of/to the
victim.)
Self Sibling Parent Child Relative Friend Acquaintance Stranger Unknown
41. What relation was the owner to the shooter? (The owner was a(n) ____of/to the
shooter.)
Self Sibling Parent Child Relative Friend Acquaintance Stranger Unknown
42. How old was the gun owner? __________years ____________months
43. How old was the shooter? ___________years _____________months
44. Did the literature that came with the gun have safety information? Yes No Unknown
If YES, had the shooter read the safety information? Yes No Unknown
45. Had the shooter received gun or hunter safety training? Yes No Unknown?
46. In addition to or instead of this training, did the shooter receive any instructions on
gun use/safety from his/her parents/caregiver/ or other adult?
47. Where were the entry and (if applicable) exit wounds?
Entry: Head Face Eye Neck Chest Abdomen Extremity:_________
Exit: Head Face Eye Neck Chest Abdomen Extremity:_________
48. What was the medical diagnosis of the injury and (if applicable) cause of death?
(please obtain copies of all appropriate medical records)
___________________________________________________________
79. Is there any evidence of alcohol or drug involvement in the shooting?
Yes No Unknown