In a firearm injury, a cruciate shaped wound is identified and it showed burning, blackening, tattooing around the wound along with cherry red colour of the surrounding tissues. This represents a:

Burning, blackening, tattooing and cruciate shaped wound are all associated with close range of entry wound from a fire arm weapon. Cruciate shape is seen when the wound of entry is over a bone underlying the wound of entry. This shape is due to the bone fragments cracking at the periphery of the entrance wound. Cherry red colour at the entrance wound is due to the CO that is formed due to the flame that is produced from the burning of gun powder at the entrance of the wound. Ref: Forensic Medicine By P.V. Guharaj, 2nd Edition, Page 121