Something I've noticed over the years is that the majority of the shooting victims I come across (I'm in healthcare) have low shot placement. In otherwards, diaphragm and below. I have no idea if this is just because those that have higher placement don't make it to the trauma bay, or if it's something else. I see a huge amount of intra abdominal organ lacerations and femur/pelvis fractures, but heart and lung not as much. Now don't get me wrong I still see some and I have some strong memories of one case that the pulmonary artery was squirting on the floor, every time I bagged the patient (open chest). That one was almost funny in that the doctor kept asking me if I was sure we were in the trachea and not the esophagus, when I was watching the lungs inflate on an open chest. He was concerned we weren't getting a pulse ox reading, when the patient's blood volume was on the floor. No blood, no pulse ox. Anyway so my question on this is, have you seen any studies or reports on shot placement of trauma victims? I'm wondering if this is just happenstance or if during the stress of a shooting (good or bad guy) accuracy goes out the window? Maybe people shoot from the hip cowboy style? What say you?
