Investigating the Unthinkable: Behind the Tape on the Scene of a Mass Murder

In this episode of Body Bags, host Joseph Scott Morgan and co-host Dave Mack delve into the emotionally challenging experiences and unique difficulties faced by death investigators and first responders during mass shooting events. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a systematic approach while navigating the emotional and logistical complexities of these events, they discuss the challenges of identifying victims in various settings, explore the significance of conducting autopsies in cases of mass shootings or multiple homicides, how to address religious objections, and the role of medical legal authorities in making final decisions.   Time-codes:  00:00 - Introduction. 01:10 - JoeScott's friend's experience with the Columbine massacre. 02:30 - Discussing being inside the tape on a mass homicide. 03:55 - Broad range of incidents classified as mass shootings. 05:05 - Mention of H. Wayne Carver III and Sandy Hook case. 06:05 - Mass fatality events are not always defined by a specific number of victims. 07:00 - Joseph's involvement in the Buckhead shooting investigation. 08:20 - Mentally processing mass shooting crime scenes in everyday environments. 10:10 - First responders' life-saving mode and gathering information. 11:55 - Challenge of identifying victims in a mass shooting. 14:40 - Identifying victims in different settings (schools vs. public spaces). 15:50 - Increased difficulties faced by death investigators during mass shooting events. 17:30 - Emotional toll of being a death investigator in mass casualty situations. 18:10 - Potential dangers for first responders during mass shooting events. 20:40 - The concept of secondary devices and staying vigilant at crime scenes. 23:25 - Challenges in handling multiple victims and assessing postmortem changes. 25:20 - Use of Tyvek suits for protection during investigations. 26:35 - Composition of investigation teams and processing bodies at crime scenes. 28:05 - Importance of addressing legal requirements and thorough documentation. 31:05 - Moral and legal responsibilities of forensic investigators. 32:45 - Need for autopsies even when the perpetrator is known. 33:20 - Handling religious objections to autopsies. 36:00 - Medical legal authorities can override religious objections to autopsies. 37:30 - Outro.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.