Multi-disciplinary approach to a use-of-force investigation: case study

Investigating a violent encounter can be a complicated endeavour as evidence is often incomplete or misleading. However, with the right combination of expertise, it is frequently possible to establish a verifiable fact pattern. The work presented illustrates this point by reviewing the investigation of a violent police-citizen encounter resulting in a loss of life. The ensuing discussion uses video analysis of body-worn camera footage as the overview for the events under review before quantifying them using both testing and literature. Individually, video forensics, human factors psychology and biomechanics allowed a greater understanding of the timing involved in the discharge of the firearm, relative movement patterns during the altercation and a plausible sequence of shots fired. Using these multi-disciplined approaches together however, provided validation of the same.