Injury patterns of sharp instrument homicides in Hong Kong

This study focuses on investigating injury patterns found on deceased victims caused by sharp instruments. It investigates the number, severity, types and locations of injuries and their possible relationship against three levels of victim–offender relationships (VORs) in sharp instrument homicides. Data of one hundred and forty-one fatal victims were extracted for the 10-year period from 1996 to 2005 from the Hong Kong Homicide Monitoring Database. These cases are solved cases with known identity of the suspects. Statistical analysis was performed to test the injury numbers, injury severity, injury types and injury locations against three levels of VORs (intimate partners, acquaintance and strangers) and their possible correlation. The present research is the first study to investigate homicide in Hong Kong using autopsy findings. This study pinpoints the importance of injury patterns found on the body and their significance with the VORs. This research also pinpoints the importance of the number, types and locations of injuries on the body and their correlations with the victim–offender relationships, and suggests factors that could be useful in investigating sharp instrument homicide.