ST. CLOUD, Fla. – As Central Florida prepares to ring in the new year, law enforcement and fireworks vendors are urging residents to celebrate safely and avoid dangerous — and illegal — traditions involving firearms.
While fireworks remain a popular way to welcome the new year, some people still attempt to mark the occasion by firing guns into the air. Police warn that such behavior can have deadly consequences.
Last year, a Kissimmee woman was killed by a stray bullet just minutes after midnight, underscoring the potentially tragic results of celebratory gunfire.
[BELOW: 1 killed by ‘celebratory gunfire’ in Kissimmee on New Year’s Day]
Brandon Rodriguez has operated the Galaxy Fireworks tent on U.S. 192 in St. Cloud for the past three years. He says many customers are enthusiastic about celebrating the new year “with a bang” and that his stand sells a wide variety of fireworks.
“They’re called canisters. These are coming in 24 to a box. They are very loud and explosive. It sounds like gunfire,” Rodriguez said, noting that the sounds of legal fireworks can sometimes be confused with gunshots.
Authorities emphasize that if residents hear loud booms, those noises should be from fireworks — not firearms. Firing a gun into the air in celebration is illegal and can lead to serious penalties.
“Do not fire weapons in celebration on New Year’s; you will get a visit from your St. Cloud Police Department,” said Public Information Officer Andrew Sullivan of the St. Cloud Police Department.
Under Florida law, a person caught engaging in celebratory gunfire could face up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000. Beyond the legal consequences, police stress that a bullet fired into the air must come down — and can strike someone blocks away.
Sullivan says residents should limit their celebrations to fireworks on New Year’s Eve, which is one of the nights when their use is generally permitted statewide.
“It is one of the nights that I believe, statewide, is allowable for fireworks,” Sullivan said. “Just please be considerate of your neighbors — people with pets or people that might have PTSD. Just be considerate of people.”
Rodriguez also urges his customers to use fireworks responsibly and to take steps to protect children and property.
“I would recommend putting plywood on the floor before you blow the fireworks off — meaning, like, at a distance range of 300 feet or 200 feet away from kids,” he said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe perimeter and having a stable surface for launching fireworks.
St. Cloud will be having a family-friendly block party-style New Year’s Eve called Rockin’ The Cloud. There will be a “cloud” drop at midnight held downtown.