Can "tired bullets" be fatal?

Brain Inj. 2026 Mar;40(5):426-428. doi: 10.1080/02699052.2026.2619857. Epub 2026 Jan 21.

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.

Keywords: Tired bullets; accidental, energy; firearm; injury.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Firearms
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Wounds, Gunshot* / diagnostic imaging
  • Wounds, Gunshot* / pathology