The Experience of Implementing Ihor Kozachenko’s Method of Definition of the Mutual Disposition of an Injured Person and an AK-74 Submachine Gun at the Moment of wounding in Expert Practice

Abstract

Introduction. The recent significant increase in gunshot injury cases requires the use of the most effective and reliable methods in practicalwork. Developed at the time by I. M. Kozachenko’s method regarding of definition of the mutual disposition of an injured person and an AK-74submachine gun at the moment of wounding has become especially relevant in recent years in connection with the war and, accordingly, a significant increase in the number of injuries caused by AK-74 assault rifles. The purpose of the study: conduct an analysis of forensic medical examinations of gunshot wounds caused by shots from an AK-74 submachine gun using the I. M. Kozachenko’s method regarding ofdefinition of the mutual disposition of an injured person and an AK-74 submachine gun according to the data of the Transcarpathian RegionalBureau of Forensic Medical Examination during 2022–2024. Material and Methods. Forensic medical examinations of gunshot wounds from an AK-74 submachine gun, which were performed at the Transcarpathian Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination during 2022–2024, are analyzed in the work. The research of objects was carried out by methods generally accepted in forensic medical examination and criminology, experimental and comparative research was additionally carried out, as well as expert experiments.Results and Discussions. During the years 2022–2024, the Transcarpathian Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination performed 16 forensic medical examinations regarding the infliction of injuries as a result of a shot(s) from an AK-74 submachine gun. These examinations concerned 6 fatal cases of the use of this weapon. In four cases, there were single shots from an AK-74 submachine gun, two corpses each had two gunshot wounds caused by shots from this weapon – a total of 8 wounds. All wounds were through. As a result of the conducted forensic examinations, it was established that three wounds were caused by contact shots, and four – within the range of contact with the muzzle brake compensator crown up to 1 cm from it. In one case, it was determined that the shot was fired from a short distance. During the examination, in particular, the mutual location of the weapon and the injured person was determined. According to the author’s methodology of the specific nature, number and mutual location of the zones of soot deposits on the edges of the entrance wounds and around them, it was established that in some cases, at the time of damage formation, the longitudinal axis of the trunk coincided in direction with the straight section of the wound channel and was located at an acute angle to the frontal plane and practically parallel to the sagittal plane. In the rest of the cases, at the time of injury formation, the longitudinal axis of the trunk coincided in direction with the rectilinear section of the wound channel and was located almost perpendicular to the frontal plane and almost parallel to the sagittal plane. To clarify the distance of the shot and the angle of inclination of the barrel of the weapon, mathematical processing of the linear and angular indicators of the soot deposition zones was carried out according to the method I. M. Kozachenko using linear regression equations developed by the author. The results of mathematical calculations and the results of experimental and comparative studies confirmed the distances and angles of inclination of weapons at the moment of formation of incoming gunshot wounds determined by the morphological features of close-range shots.Conclusions. The experience of implementing I. M. Kozachenko’s method into the expert practice of the Transcarpathian Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination, regarding the determination of the relative location of the victim and the weapon in the case of an AK-74 submachine gun wound, testified to the reliability and practical significance of the morphological features identified by the author and the developed metric parameters of a gunshot wound caused by shots from an AK-74 submachine gun. The developed technique in each individual case makes it possible to determine the model of the firearm, its location relative to the victim, the distance and distance of the shot.