Can “tired bullets” be fatal?

Gurbanov A., HAVAN M., Kahveci F., KAHILOĞULLARI G., KENDİRLİ T.

Brain Injury, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/02699052.2026.2619857
  • Journal Name: Brain Injury
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, BIOSIS, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo
  • Keywords: accidental, energy, firearm, injury, Tired bullets
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This case report describes a six year-old boy who was diagnosed as having an accidental firearm injury from a ‘tired bullet.’ When a shot is fired at a right angle into the sky, the bullet loses its kinetic energy and velocity after a certain distance, then starts to fall and reaccelerate due to gravity. Injuries from free-falling bullets, which are variously referred to as ‘tired bullets,’ have been on the rise in recent years due to increasing uncontrolled firearm acquisition.