Three years ago, Sandy Duran was watching fireworks on New Year’s eve with her then 12-year-old son when he was suddenly struck by a stray bullet fired by someone ringing in the new year by firing a gun into the air. Sandy’s son survived the incident but will struggle with medical issues the rest of his life.

Earl Robison was sitting on his porch in his favorite chair late on New Year’s Eve when a large caliber bullet suddenly crashing through the awning just a few feet away from where he sat. Bob Coutts and his wife had a close call when they heard a loud thud on the fourth of July in 2013. He didn’t figure out it was a bullet until the next big rain when they discovered a roof leak which was the result of the bullet crashing through their roof.

The odds of a person being struck by a stray bullet fired into the air are quite small, but it happens occasionally. Roofs are a larger target and several are damaged every year by celebratory gunfire.

What goes up…

Everyone has heard the saying “what goes up, must come down.” That law even applies to bullets traveling nearly 2,000 miles per hour. What people don’t think about when firing a gun into the air, is that the bullet will eventually slow down  and fall back down towards earth. It has to come down somewhere. Most likely it will land harmlessly on the ground but it could damage a car, home, or other property, and it might even injure or kill an innocent bystander or pet. When a bullet falls from the sky, it can reach speeds of 300-700 miles per hour. A bullet will penetrate a human skull at 200 miles per hour.

Moral of the story

On the fourth of July, New Year’s, and other holidays, light fireworks rather than fire a weapon. It’s not worth the risk. If you do suspect that your roof may have been struck by a stray bullet, get it checked out. If there is a hole in your roof, it  can lead to more serious problems if the roof isn’t repaired in a timely manner.

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Source: wtsp .com/story/news/local/2015/12/31/the-dangers-of-celebratory-gunfire/78143792/