Thinking about firing celebratory gunshots on New Year's Eve? Don't

Shooting into the air isn't the way to ring in 2019

ORLANDO, Fla. – There are plenty of ways to celebrate when the clock strikes midnight at the start of a new year -- toasting champagne, kissing a loved one, setting off fireworks -- but shooting a gun into the air isn't the way to do it.

Year after year, law enforcement officials across the Sunshine State remind Floridians that celebratory gunfire on New Year's Eve or any other holiday is dangerous, irresponsible and could result in criminal charges.

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Tampa Police Department officers issued a public service announcement video days before the holiday in which they laid out some compelling statistics.

"A single bullet fired into the air can come back at speeds up to 300 feet per second. The result? Property damage, injury or even death anywhere within a 2-mile radius of the shot," the video says.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a bullet traveling that fast can penetrate the human skull.

While some misinformed residents might think firing a gun into the air is a harmless way to celebrate, that's clearly not the case.

Authorities urge anyone who witnesses celebratory gunfire to call 911.

For tips on how to be a responsible gun owner, click here.


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