New Ballistics Lab to Examine Evidence Found Throughout County

A new regional ballistics lab opened in the Cuyahoga County medical examiner’s office this month.

The lab will photograph and document unique markings on bullets and casings found at crime scenes to speed investigations of violent crimes. 

Cuyahoga County Sheriff Clifford Pinkney spoke about the lab during 90.3’s The Sound of Ideas.

He said it allows munitions evidence collected around the county to be processed in a central location and entered into a national database.

"If there is a burglary or shooting in Bay Village and then two days later we have a shooting in Solon, if we recovered both of those casings and take it to the lab, they should be able to match up to see if those casings came from the same weapon," said Pinkney.

The new lab will also be able to test fire guns into a ballistics water tank, restore erased serial numbers, and re-create discontinued ammunition.