Behind the Bullet: Forensic Analysis of Firearm Injury Patterns and Demographic Trends in Peshawar

Abstract

Background: Violent injuries rank among the top ten causes of death worldwide. Violence has been identified as a major global issue. Firearm injury is a global issue that poses a significant challenge in a developing country like ours, where poverty and violence are prevalent. Aside from being a cause of mortality, firearm injuries can result in substantial morbidities, psychological and physical problems for individuals and communities.

Objective: the objective of the study is to assess pattern of injury along with manner of death and its associated demographic factors in firearm injuries in Peshawar.

Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was done from July 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, in the Forensic Medicine and toxicology Department Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. All firearm deaths presented to department during said period was included in the study and cases with incomplete documentations and referred from other districts were excluded from study.

Results: The study included 398 individuals, with 94.6% males and 5.3% as female. The mean age of the participants were 36.6 years, with a standard deviation of 13.6. A significant majority of casualties (87.8%) were from urban regions, with the most prevalent injuries impacting the lungs (54.6%), heart (36.0%), and brain (33.2%). Majority of victims suffered from multiple injuries (79.7%), and the majority of fatalities (94.2%) were immediate, with homicide identified as the predominant cause. Suicides represented merely 2.4% of the overall total.

Conclusion: Our results showed that most victims were men. The majority of them were having an age between 16 and 30. Most victims sustained multiple injuries. Homicide was the leading cause of death, and the lungs were the most frequently injured organ.