A man is shot in the arm. He survives. He tells police the name of his attacker. On the surface this may look cut and dry. Police just need to find out where the named man is then go and arrest him. Right? The answer is: Maybe, maybe not. What is needed is forensic evidence to back-up the victim’s statement.Clinical forensic physician William Smock works with the Police Department in Louisville, Kentucky. He has worked with the FBI and the US Marshals Service, and said he’s seen many cases where people either accidentally or intentionally shoot themselves and blame it on someone else.Body & Soul had learned from local professionals who work with children, that some of those in gangs had expressed a desire to be shot. Apparently this is because in the gang sub-culture, being shot increases the respect and importance of others in the gang. It is much like getting stripes if you were in the military.Dr Smock said this thinking is prevalent in gang culture throughout the US and said he’s seen many cases where people have shot themselves for this type of kudos.He said it’s also common with drug dealers. “We’ve had drug dealers shoot themselves and blame another dealer hoping police will arrest the dealer blamed and the victim can take over the other’s drug territory,” said Dr Smock.But looking at gunshot wounds with forensics expertise can expose a victim as lying and will cause police to investigate why the victim is lying and determine what really happened.In forensic pathology the entry and exit wounds, the range of fire and the trajectory of the bullet, that is its path to entry of the body and exit or non-exit, are common areas investigated.According to Dr Smock consideration of these same areas are just as important in investigating a shooting where the victim has survived.“Detectives would take that information and determine if the injuries are consistent with what the suspect says or what the victim says,” said Dr Smock.And he said it’s important as a means of getting to the truth.“It’s important when you want to charge someone with a crime, in this case a gunshot wound,” he said.Dr Smock said it would be helpful for police to get forensic verification from the hospital’s emergency department that matches with the report from the medical examiner.“Historically there has been a gap between the forensic information that is available in the A&E (emergency department) versus what the medical examiner gives and that has frustrated the police departments,” said Dr Smock.The reason? According to Dr Smock it’s because the accuracy from the emergency department may be suspect.“And if you are charging someone with a crime you want to make sure that the information is accurate,” he said.