United States
Miami's 'PR Nightmare' as 6yr-old Italian Boy Hurt by Celebratory Gunfire
Miami Herald
21 January 2010
The 6-year-old Italian boy struck by a stray bullet during last week's New Year's Eve celebration was in "good spirits" at a Miami hospital on Monday, while police continued their investigation into a shooting that made headlines overseas in Europe. Andrea Fregoneses, whose family was visiting Miami as tourists from Italy, was expected to recover from a bullet wound to the stomach. Meanwhile, fears waned among tourism executives... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
'Brazen' Celebratory Shootings Targeted by Baltimore Police
Baltimore Sun
13 January 2010
Here's the tally from the Baltimore police commissioner's war on bad guys with guns during the opening minute of 2010: - A blue .38-caliber Smith & Wesson with four rounds in the chamber. - A 9 mm PA-63 semiautomatic handgun. - A .38-caliber Rossi revolver. - A Mossburg 12-gauge shotgun. - A chrome two-shot, .38-caliber Derringer pistol. Five guns, four suspects, two houses. These... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Boy Killed in Georgia Church by NYE Celebratory AK-47 Bullet
Sydney Morning Herald
5 January 2010
A four-year-old boy has been killed by a falling bullet that was fired into the air during New Year's Eve celebrations in the US. Marquel Peters was playing a video game inside a church in the state of Georgia when the bullet pierced the roof and hit him in the head, local media reported. He collapsed on the floor alongside his parents, bleeding, and was taken to hospital where he died. "I saw his Nintendo game... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
New Year's Celebratory Bullet Kills 4yr-old Georgia Boy Sitting in Church
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia)
1 January 2010
Four-year-old Marquel Peters loved church. So much so, that he cried recently when he thought he would miss it because a relative was running late. For the New Year's Eve service, Marquel brought along a video game to play during an intermission. The next time Marquel returns to his family's church, it will be for his funeral. Thursday night, Marquel and about a dozen family members attended a service at the Church... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Arizona City Leads Way in Preventing, Prosecuting Celebratory Gunfire
Arizona Republic
31 December 2009
Otis Smith says that anyone contemplating "celebratory shooting" on New Year's Eve should understand that bullets fired into the sky come down again, sometimes with tragic results. Police say anyone who hasn't gotten that message should expect to be arrested. For Smith, it's personal. About 10 years ago, on June 14, 1999, his 14-year-old daughter, Shannon, was killed by a bullet plunging from the sky. She was standing in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
Kurds Give Guns to Supporters, Celebratory Gunfire Injures, Kills Dozens
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
18 August 2009
SULAIMANIYAH and ERBIL -- Weapons loudly welcomed the outcome of Iraqi Kurdistan's latest political contest, and may even discreetly have helped determine it. In the run-up to last month's election, politicians gifted guns to prominent supporters. When the results were announced, celebratory gunfire streaked the night skies. Opposition leaders said the weapons had been dished out to buy votes. Their rivals denied this,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Democrats, Polls Illustrate Continuing Decline of Gun Control in America
CBS News (USA) / Political Hotsheet
22 July 2009
A decade ago, the calculus was simple: Those who wanted greater gun control aligned with the Democrats. And those who wanted fewer restrictions on guns turned to the Republicans. No longer. Though an amendment to mandate that states recognize concealed weapons permits issued by other states, effectively allowing people to carry concealed weapons across state lines, narrowly failed on Wednesday, it garnered 58 votes in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon
Two Million Guns Loose in Lebanon, MPs Push for Weapon-free Beirut
Al-Quds Al-'Arabi (London) / MediaLine
30 June 2009
Lebanese parliamentarians are appealing to the Lebanese Ministry of Defense for a 'weapons free' Beirut. The MPs will ask defense minister Elias Murr on Tuesday to authorize the Lebanese army to take strict measures in order to remove illegal weapons from the capital, the London-based Al-Quds Al-'Arabi reported. The move comes two days after a Lebanese woman was killed by gunfire in factional clashes in the capital. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
New Year Reveller Aimed at Streetlight, Killed Woman, Girl with One Shot
Associated Press
14 May 2009
DENVER -- A Denver man accused of firing a gun into the air and killing a woman and an 11-year-old girl as he celebrated the new year has pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors. The Denver district attorney's office says 27-year-old Pedro Cortez pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of manslaughter. He faces probation to 24 years in prison at sentencing set for July 10. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss Cortez's remaining... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
For Middle-Class Pakistanis, an AK-47 or a Handgun Is a Must-Have Item
Wall Street Journal
6 January 2009
LAHORE, Pakistan -- After escaping kidnappers who chained him to a bed for 25 days, Mohammad Javed Afridi pressed Pakistani law enforcement for swift justice. The police offered him something else: temporary permits for four automatic assault rifles. Since Mr. Afridi's ordeal ended in mid-October, police in his hometown of Peshawar, in northwestern Pakistan, haven't made an arrest in his case. They raided the kidnappers' hide-out,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Infants, Children Among 14 New Year's Eve Stray Bullet Victims in Manila
Philippine Star
4 January 2009
MANILA -- A bullet fired carelessly into the air on New Year's Eve found its mark in the head of a six-year-old girl in Bacoor, Cavite. The bullet lodged in the skull of Melody Medina, who is now fighting for her life at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Her mother Lea was shocked to learn that despite her warnings to her six children against using firecrackers, Melody found herself in the list of the growing number of people... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Stray New Year's Bullet Seriously Wounds 3 Week-old Girl in Philippines
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2 January 2009
CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines -- A three-week-old baby girl remains in critical condition after a stray bullet hit her in the back during New Year's celebration in Dasmariñas Cavite, police said Friday. Inspector Raul Bolido of the Dasmariñas police said the mother, Joan Abara, was carrying her infant when a stray bullet from the back of their house in the village of Sto. Nino II hit the child at around 12 a.m. Thursday.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Guam
Stray Bullet Hits 6yr-old Girl in the Head in Guam Celebratory Gunfire
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
2 January 2009
A 6-year-old girl who was struck in the head by a stray bullet while watching fireworks about 1:30 yesterday morning is in stable condition at Guam Memorial Hospital, said Guam Police Department Sgt. Richard Cress. Emily Mae Caalim, daughter of Mamerto Caalim and Elmie Caalim, is scheduled for surgery to remove the bullet today. Cress said he suspected the bullet was fired upward as part of a New Year's Eve celebration and police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Police List 37 Recent Stray Bullet, Celebratory Gunfire Injuries
Philippine Star
2 January 2009
Rains did not dampen the traditionally boisterous New Year's Eve celebration, with two people killed and 346 injured during the revelry. The Department of Health (DOH) said the number of firecracker-related injuries and people hit by stray bullets was "significantly" reduced to 346 cases with no casualties on record. Police, however, reported two casualties during the New Year revelry in Navotas and Valenzuela City. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
NY's Eve, Chicago: 262 Shooting Reports, 30 Celebratory Gunfire Arrests
Chicago Sun-Times
2 January 2009
Chicago Police were patrolling the West Side as New Year's Eve turned into 2009 when officers say they spotted a 23-year-old woman standing in front of her Austin home, firing a handgun into the midnight air. Deonnaca Gipson, of the 5000 block of West Superior, was among 30 people arrested across the city as the new year rang in. Her .40-caliber semiautomatic Glock was one of 75 seized in Chicago overnight as officers in the city... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
LA Police Arrest 13 for New Year Celebratory Shootings, Seize 23 Guns
Associated Press
2 January 2009
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles police say they arrested 13 people for firing their guns into the air at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Police said Friday that officers also seized 23 guns as part of an ongoing campaign with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department to stop celebratory gunfire. Over the New Year's holiday last year, police confiscated 45 guns and arrested five people who fired their guns into the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Dallas Police Field 1,564 Complaints of Random New Year's Eve Gunfire
Associated Press
2 January 2009
DALLAS -- A woman was slightly injured by a stray bullet that fell from the sky in downtown Dallas early New Year's morning and grazed her left shoulder, police said Friday. It was the only injury reported from the 1,564 calls of random gunfire Dallas police received from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday, Dallas Police Sgt. Gil Cerda said. Last year there were 1,107 calls in Dallas, he said. Stray bullets damaged the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Celebratory Gunfire: 32 Gun Arrests, 75 Weapons, AK-47s Seized
Chicago Tribune
2 January 2009
Chicago police arrested 32 people for firing guns during the New Year's celebration and seized 75 weapons, including two AK-47s and an assault pistol with a silencer. The department's Mobile Strike Force enforced a zero-tolerance policy for celebratory gunfire New Year's Day, according to a department news release. The strike force arrested 13 people on the West Side and confiscated eight guns, including one assault rifle... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Stray Bullet from New Year's Gunfire Seriously Injures Houston Man
KHOU-TV News (Texas)
1 January 2009
HOUSTON -- Earlier this month, local law enforcement warned about the dangers of bringing in the New Year with gunfire. Nonetheless, guns were blazing on Clay Landing and Bridgewater Meadow in West Harris County. As a result, a Houston man is recovering in the hospital from a gunshot wound. Police say he was hit by a stray bullet that came through the wall of his home. It's not clear who fired the shots,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
One US Town Gets 119 Gunfire Reports, AK-47 Fired, 7yr-old Girl Shot
WKRG-TV News (Alabama) / AP
1 January 2009
MOBILE, Alabama -- Celebratory gunfire from New Year's Eve injured a 7-year-old girl in Mobile. Police said the girl was taken to the USA Children's and Women's Hospital after being hit in the leg by a stay bullet around 2:30 a.m. on Fairmont Street. Police spokeswoman Jacqueline Bridgeforth said Thursday the girl's injuries were minor. The girl's name was not made public. Mobile police said they received 119 calls... ( gunpolicy.org )
Italy
Italian Killed, 3 Injured by Stray Bullets: Women Vow 'No Sex for Revellers'
Agence France-Presse
1 January 2009
Stray bullets claimed the life of one Italian and wounded three others in separate incidents as revellers fired guns into the air to mark the New Year. In southern Naples, a 25-year-old was hit in the head by a stray bullet while he and his mother were on a balcony watching celebrations in the streets below. In three cities near northern Milan, a 10-year-old girl, a 35-year-old woman and a man, 42, were hospitalised after... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Miami Campaign Aims to Curb Stray Bullets, Celebratory Gunfire Injuries
NBC6-TV News (Florida)
31 December 2008
MIAMI -- Miami officials held a news conference asking residents to put an end to firing weapons. People have died from stray bullets and officials want to make sure it doesn't begin in 2009, NBC 6's Ian Wood reported. Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson held a rally, called "No More Stray Bullets" on the south side of N.W. 61 Street and N.W. 12 Avenue on Wednesday, urging residents not to shoot guns into the air when celebrating New... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Celebratory Gunfire Killers Face Murder Charge, Warn Arizona Police
Arizona Republic
31 December 2008
West Valley police are reminding residents not to fire guns in celebration of New Year's. Firing weapons into the air is illegal and dangerous, they say, because when the bullets come back down, they are traveling fast enough to kill someone. Police want community members to remember: - A bullet fired into the air can climb up to two miles. When it falls back down, it can reach a speed of 300 to 700 feet per second.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Los Angeles Police Will Charge Celebratory Gunfire Killers with Murder
Los Angeles Police Department, Blog
30 December 2008
As New Year's Eve approaches, the Los Angeles Police Department along with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department is launching its Citywide Gunfire Reduction Campaign. This campaign is designed to help reduce incidents of indiscriminate gunfire that have become a deadly New Year's tradition in our city. The Gunfire Reduction Campaign aims to advise the community that ringing in the New Year with gunfire will not be tolerated in the City... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Stray Bullets Fly, Gun Crime Rolls On as LA Collects, Seizes 8,000 Guns
Los Angeles Times
29 December 2008
The Los Angeles police and county sheriff's departments cautioned the public today about firing guns in celebration of the New Year and demonstrated one of the many tools they have to track down shooters during the holiday and year-round. "We know what goes up must come down, and what comes down does so with unpleasant circumstances," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca during a news conference at the Lynwood sheriff's station.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Police Seal Their Officers' Guns to Prevent Celebratory Gunfire
GMA News TV (Manila)
27 December 2008
MANILA, Philippines -- With two cases of stray bullet victims recorded by the Department of Health one week before the New Year, the Eastern Police District and Bulacan Police have both opted to seal their men's guns. A report from QTV's Balitanghali said that the sealing of firearms is part of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) annual campaign Oplan Iwas Paputok. Reporter Rida Reyes said that the PNP leadership was... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Manila Prepares for Celebratory Gunfire Season, Stray Bullet Injuries
GMA News TV (Manila)
27 December 2008
MANILA, Philippines -- A week to go before the New Year, at least two cases of stray-bullet injuries have been confirmed, health secretary Francisco Duque III said Saturday. Duque admitted being alarmed over the incident, adding it eclipsed the 58-percent drop in firecracker-related injuries so far this year. "Ito nakakaaalarma. May naulat na dalawang confirmed cases ng stray bullet injuries. Ibig sabihin, may nagpapaputok... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
New Years' Gunfire, Stray Bullets Won't Be Celebrated by California Police
Press-Telegram (California)
24 December 2008
LONG BEACH -- If it goes up, it will come down, warns the Long Beach Police Department. Police on Wednesday were reminding residents that firing gunshots into the air to celebrate New Year's Eve can be dangerous and could result in jail time. While some residents fire guns into the air as a way to ring in the new year, the police department says a falling bullet can be enough to penetrate the human skull. In California,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Wedding Ceremony Stray Bullet Kills Pakistani 2yr-old in Mother's Lap
Daily Times (Lahore)
19 October 2008
RAWALPINDI -- Despite Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasir Khan Durrani's strict action against inefficient police officers, there is no letup in crime as 12 people including three women were killed in separate incidents during last week. An increase in fatal road accidents was also observed during last week as six people including two women and a minor were killed in the limits of Taxila, Chontra, RA Bazaar and Civil Lines police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
Americans Prevent Gun Violence in Baghdad More Than They Do At Home
Stars and Stripes (US Military)
16 October 2008
BAGHDAD -- In the past, the soldiers with 1st Battalion, 68th Infantry would have had no problem finding an AK-47 assault rifle in Omar Abdul Satar's home. Iraqis have a long history of owning guns, and few homes in the country are without one. But the government is trying to change that. It recently decided to prohibit guns in the capital. That was bad news for Satar. When the U.S. soldiers and their Iraqi counterparts found his... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Soaring Gun Numbers, Gun Death, Gun Crime Draw Protests in Turkey
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
29 September 2008
Firearm ownership in Turkey has reached alarming figures, with the number of guns in the country estimated at 8 million, more than twice what it was seven years ago. According to current figures, 9 percent of the nation owns a firearm. Turkey has approximately 2.5 million registered guns, while an estimated 5.5 million guns are believed to be owned without licenses. The number of individuals with access to a firearm in their family... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Stray Bullets, Celebratory Shootings, Political Gun Killing in Pakistan
Daily Times (Lahore)
27 July 2008
KARACHI -- An elderly man was shot dead over his political affiliations on Saturday, while two others were killed in separate incidents. According to details, 60-year-old Ashfaq, a resident of Bhittai Colony, Korangi Crossing, was shot six times at Juna Market, within the jurisdiction of Risala Police Station. According to Enquiry officer Nawaz, two men on a motorcycle shot Ashfaq using 30-Boor pistols. The deceased used to run... ( gunpolicy.org )
Jordan
Celebratory Gunshots, Stray Bullets Often Cause Injury, Death in Jordan
National (Abu Dhabi)
17 July 2008
AMMAN -- Bayan Tayeb turns two this month, but unlike most toddlers her age, she cannot walk, talk or see thanks to a stray bullet that struck her right eye and damaged her brain last year. She was the victim of a celebration, not a war. Bayan was sitting on her mother's lap in the front garden of their home in a suburb of the capital of Amman, when revellers at a wedding fired a gun in celebration. "I thought she was hit... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Wedding Party Celebratory Shooting Kills Another Passerby in Karachi
News (Karachi)
13 July 2008
KARACHI -- Two people were killed by stray bullets in separate incidents reported on Saturday in the Gizri and Baghdadi police limits. On Friday night, 35-year-old Mohammed Ashraf was passing through a lane near his house. A wedding ceremony was underway in the lane in the Gizri police limits. A stray bullet shot in the air hit Ashraf, and proved fatal. The police said that the deceased had been working as a cook for the past 15... ( gunpolicy.org )
France
French Soldier Used Wrong Ammunition, Fired Into Crowd, Injured 17
Times (UK)
1 July 2008
PARIS -- A French paratrooper who fired his assault rifle into a crowd of spectators during a hostage-freeing exercise will face charges of grave negligence, prosecutors said yesterday. A three-year-old boy and his parents were among the 15 civilians and two military personnel who were wounded in the shooting, which took place during an open day at the 3rd Marine Parachutist Regiment barracks on Sunday afternoon. The boy... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Celebratory Shooting, Stray Bullet Injury Require Urgent Action - Turkish MP
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
27 June 2008
ANKARA -- A member of Parliament's Human Rights Commission has recommended that a parliamentary commission should be set up to address the problem of deaths and injuries caused by stray bullets fired into the air in celebration, a common problem in much of Turkey. Speaking to Today's Zaman, Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakir deputy Akin Birdal stressed that a cultural and social transformation was needed to prevent deaths... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
Soccer Fans Will be Arrested in Iraq if Caught Firing Guns in Celebration
Los Angeles Times
22 June 2008
BAGHDAD -- Sports became a surprise topic Sunday during a routine news briefing by the U.S. and Iraqi armed forces on the battle against the insurgency. With Iraq's beloved national soccer team poised to qualify for the World Cup in its game against Qatar on Sunday night, Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for the Iraqi government's "Imposing the Law" campaign, delivered a stern warning to gun owners -- essentially every adult male... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Turks Wound At Least 23, Firing Guns in Air to Celebrate Soccer Win
International Herald Tribune / AP
21 June 2008
ANKARA, Turkey -- At least 23 people across Turkey were wounded by stray bullets following the firing of shots across the country to celebrate the win over Croatia in the European Championship quarterfinals. Governor Muammer Guler said Saturday that 11 people were accidentally shot in Istanbul, the country's largest city where all night festivities were the wildest. Twelve other people, including a 10-year-old girl and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Stray Bullet from Police Rifle Kills Boy, Shatters TV in Nigerian Sitting Room
Daily Trust (Abuja)
18 June 2008
MINNA -- A 14 year old boy, Abubakar Onifade was killed in Minna on Monday night by a stray bullet from a police officer while watching television in his father's sitting room. Our correspondent gathered that the stray bullet which went through the door of the sitting room hit the boy, an SS2 student of Hill Top Secondary School Minna on the chest and shattered the television screen. It was also gathered that the tragedy... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Increasing Armed Violence by Licensed, Unlicensed Turkish Gun Owners
Turkish Daily News
9 June 2008
Turks are already regrettably accustomed to media reports about victims of stray bullets at wedding ceremonies and New Year's parties, where some people lose their lives and others -- sometimes even children -- become murderers in a heartbeat. The percentage of those using licensed guns in crimes in Turkey has increased, police data reveals, while experts who spoke with the Turkish Daily News warned that the state must not give... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Celebratory Gunfire, Occasional Deaths Inexplicable Feature of Turkish Life
Today's Zaman (Istanbul), Column
11 May 2008
I have always been awed by the inability of people around me to celebrate joyful events. Weddings and soccer games that end victoriously are celebrated with guns held aloft, fired incessantly into the air. Someone who is not familiar with the local culture may feel they have fallen into an ambush, just as the foreign guests did at the wedding ceremony of one of my younger family members last year. They gathered around me in bewilderment... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon
Fear, Male Identity Cause Price of Assault Weapons to Soar in Lebanon
Washington Post
24 April 2008
BEIRUT -- Abu Omar, a money changer and father of 11 who lives in Beirut, has bought at least 10 firearms since the beginning of last year. "Everything I can put my hands on and I can afford, I buy. I never sell," he said. "Now is a time for buying arms." Many Lebanese, increasingly worried about the country's political paralysis devolving into violence, are preparing themselves in the same way. One measure of their anxiety is the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Hit by Stray Bullet While Sleeping at Home, 21yr-old California Woman Dies
Bay Area News Group
10 April 2008
OAKLAND -- Shock and sadness hovered over the family of Shaneice Davis, a 21-year-old woman who was struck by a bullet while she slept in her bed Monday night when she was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon. "I'm just so sad. It hurts so much," said her father, John Davis, who described his daughter as a sensitive, sweet child who never bothered anyone -- which makes her death seem even more random and unfair. Davis, the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon
Stray Bullets Often Kill Passersby, Children in Lebanese Celebratory Gunfire
Agence France Presse
4 April 2008
The frequent celebratory gunfire in this heavily armed city is killing Beirut, literally, as one man's burst of joy turns into another's mourning. The parents of 14-year-old Ahmed Ali al-Sahili know this all too well -- they lost their son when a bullet pierced his skull as he played outside their home in the capital's suburbs. And Sonia Saade, 49, thought her ulcer was acting up when a pain so sudden and sharp knocked... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Mother of 3 Killed by Stray Bullet as Locals Mourn Death of New York Rapper
Post Chronicle (New York) / UPI
31 March 2008
A stray bullet fired by a mourner killed a mother of three as she walked by a memorial for a popular local rapper in New York. Police say Nancy Williams, 27, of Brooklyn, was struck once in the chest as she passed an area Sunday night where fans of hip-hop performer Leval Lyde had gathered to mourn his death, The New York Post reported. They were all out back having an Irish wake and someone decides to fire an automatic... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Arab Emirates
Celebratory Shooting Turns Wedding Into a Funeral in United Arab Emirates
Gulf News (Dubai)
10 February 2008
RAS AL KHAIMAH -- A wedding celebration here turned to tragedy when one revellers was killed by a stray bullet. Mohammad Ahmad Samt, a 45-year-old Emirati, was fatally hit on Saturday while revellers were firing shots in the air at a wedding in the Shamal area. His friends said Samt cupped his chest during celebrations, fell to the ground and died. Lieutenant Colonel Salem Saeed Al Alkim, head of Al Ma'amourah... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Single Celebratory Bullet Fired at Police Funeral Kills 2, Injures 2 in Ghana
Samuel Duodu's Stories (Ghana), Blog
28 January 2008
The funeral and burial service for a police officer at Asueyi, a farming community near Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region, on Saturday turned fatal when one of the shots fired by some of his colleagues to show solidarity killed two mourners. The bullet, allegedly fired by Constable Andrew Yankey of the Police Dragon Unit, who police sources say was not part of the official police delegation to the funeral, hit Opanin Kwaku Addai... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Celebratory Shooting Kills Bride's Cousin, 19, at Indian Wedding Party
Indian Express
28 January 2008
GURGAON -- A 19-year-old boy lost his life when a stray bullet fired in the air at a marriage party hit him. The incident took place in Gurgaon on Saturday night. Gaurav Sharma, the deceased, was the bride's cousin and lived in Ashok Vihar, New Delhi. According to the police, the shot was fired by a youth, Rishi Yadav, who was accompanying the groom. Rishi, a resident of Gurgaon, is said to be at large. Gaurav's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Montenegro
Passenger Jet Hit, Damaged by Celebratory Gunfire Over Montenegro
Associated Press
9 January 2008
PODGORICA, Montenegro -- A stray bullet struck a passenger jet while it was landing in Montenegro, slightly damaging the aircraft, the state airline said Wednesday. No one was hurt as the bullet, apparently fired into the air during a traditional Orthodox Christmas Eve celebration, hit the tail stabilizer on the Montenegro Airlines Fokker 100, company spokesman Nenad Markovic said. Police were investigating who fired the shot. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon
AK-47, Other Assault Rifles Double in Price, Sell Swiftly in Lebanon Crisis
Times (UK)
5 January 2008
BEIRUT -- Wearing tatty green Israeli army webbing over his black leather jacket, Walid shoulders an M16 rifle and squints down the barrel. "How much is this one?" he asks. "It's worth $1,200," replies Abu Rida, a tough, barrel-chested arms dealer. Arrayed on a bed in Abu Rida's home in southern Beirut were more weapons for sale -- an automatic pistol, two AK47 rifles and a Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, altogether worth about $3,000... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Woman, Child Killed by Colorado Man Celebrating New Year with Handgun
KWGN-TV News (Denver)
3 January 2008
DENVER, Colorado -- The Fort Collins woman and her 11-year-old cousin who were shot and killed while celebrating New Year's Day early Tuesday were both victims of the same stray bullet, fired by another holiday reveler, police said Wednesday. Rebecca "Becky" Yanez, 48, of Fort Collins was gathered with family and friends inside a house in the 4700 block of West Eleventh Avenue, when the bullet pierced the home's exterior just after... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Stray Bullet Hits 5yr-old Tucson Boy in New Year's Celebratory Gunfire
Associated Press
3 January 2008
With blood streaming down his face, the parents of a little Tucson boy didn't know what hit him early New Year's day. The mother and father of Rafael Moreno-Razo, 5, later learned the boy was struck by a stray bullet that ripped through their apartment. Rafael's father Humberto Moreno, 42, called 911 and Rafael went to the hospital, where he was treated and released that morning. The little boy escaped with a grazed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Antigua & Barbuda
'Reckless, Illegal' New Year's Stray Bullet Pierces Antigua Woman's House
Antigua Sun (St John's)
3 January 2008
A householder in the Horsford Hill area had an unpleasant New Year's Day surprise when a shot was fired through a window in her home. According to information reaching the Antigua Sun, the woman was at home shortly after midnight on New Year's Day, when she heard the sound of breaking glass. When she got up to investigate, she stepped on the bullet that had broken her window. The incident occurred during the fireworks... ( gunpolicy.org )
Italy
Italians Killed, Injured as Celebratory Gunfire, Stray Bullets Rattle New Year
United Press International
3 January 2008
Wild West-style gun play during New Year's celebrations is symptomatic of a growing gun culture in Italy, authorities said. Gunshots rang in the new year in several cities, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Wednesday. A 30-year-old father in Naples was killed when a stray bullet went through a window and struck him in the chest as he played cards with his family. A 10-year-old Naples boy clung to life after a bullet... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Woman in Alabama Church Hit in Face by Stray Bullet During NYE Gunfire
Mobile Press Register (Alabama)
2 January 2008
A woman inside a Prichard church was shot in the side of her face shortly after midnight on Tuesday, police said, apparently as a result of New Year's gunfire. The woman, whom police did not name, was hit by a bullet that entered through the sanctuary roof at the Showers of Blessings Church of God in Christ, according to Prichard police Maj. Marvin Whitfield. She was taken to the University of South Alabama Medical Center,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Trinidad & Tobago
Stray Bullet Hits 12yr-old Trinidad Boy in Celebratory New Year's Gunfire
Newsday (Port of Spain)
2 January 2008
A 12-year-old boy had his New Year's eve celebration cut short, almost permanently, after he was hit by a stray bullet which still remains lodged in the right side of his chest. Aaron Ford was ringing in the New Year by lighting fire crackers a short distance from his Faustin Trace, Maraval home on Old Year's Night, when the incident occurred. With firecrackers going off noisily all around him, Ford could not say where the shot... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
St. Petersburg, Florida Police Report 16 Stray Bullet Incidents in NYE Gunfire
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
2 January 2008
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- In a single half hour during New Year's Eve festivities, bullets presumably fired into the air in celebration returned to earth, hitting two people and narrowly missing two others, police say. At 12:08 a.m. Tuesday, David Tyson Mink, 23, of Clearwater, was walking with some friends in the 700 block of Third Ave. S. when he felt "something hard" hit him on the left shoulder, St. Petersburg Police Department... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Woman Lifts Champagne to Ring in New Year, Catches Stray Bullet
WOFL-TV News (Florida)
2 January 2008
ORLANDO, Florida -- Titusville resident Regina Lifton was very excited to ring in 2008. This is the year she and her family have been waiting for to relocate to Florida's west coast. Just like millions of people around the country, on the night of December 31, Lifton and her family gathered together, with champagne glasses in hand watching the ball drop in New York's Time Square to toast to the New Year. "I was... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Man Fires Gun in Celebration, Kills 11yr-old Boy Playing Hide & Seek
WPLG-TV News (Florida)
2 January 2008
OPA-LOCKA, Florida -- An 11-year-old boy who was hiding behind an old piece of furniture at an Opa-Locka apartment was shot and killed after his neighbor celebrated the New Year by shooting a gun into the trash. Police said Zenon Fernandez shot his neighbor Joshua Arroliga after Fernandez, 49, randomly fired a semiautomatic handgun into a trash pile of old furniture near a Dumpster, not knowing the boy was there. Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fresno, California Logs 500 Reports of New Years' Eve Gunfire, Stray Bullets
KSEE-TV News (California)
1 January 2008
FRESNO, California -- It seems when the clock strikes midnight, a lot of people forget about the laws of gravity: what goes up must come down. They celebrate the New Year with gunfire, careless of what happens to those bullets. One of those bullets ended up in Jerry Lopez's kitchen in West Central Fresno. "That's the hole where the bullet came through. You can see how big that hole is, all the insulation is on the floor... ( gunpolicy.org )
Brazil
Celebratory Gunfire Kills Brazilians, Stray Bullets Fly in Rio's New Year Bash
International Herald Tribune / AP
1 January 2008
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- One man was killed and five people were wounded by gunfire at a New Year's bash that drew some 2 million people to Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach, the government's official news agency said Tuesday. A 29-year-old man died of a gunshot wound in the stomach, and a 63-year-old woman shot in the back and a 24-year-old man shot in the head were hospitalized in critical condition, the official Agencia Brasil... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Kindly Curb Your Enthusiasm: Celebratory Gunfire Discouraged in Missouri
Examiner (Missouri)
31 December 2007
Here's an issue that you might not think is important to the Blue Springs Police Department: celebratory gunfire. Certainly there is a concern for the typical New Year's Eve issues, including driving while intoxicated. That in itself puts officers on alert, and Sgt. Bob Harman said police will keep the obligatory eye out for such offenders. But those residents who step outside of their home into the cold night air, brandishing... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Baby Killed, More Injured by Stray Bullets, Celebratory Gunfire in Philippines
Pacific News Center (Guam)
28 December 2007
MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Health (DOH) disclosed that one infant died and 87 people were hospitalized due to injuries caused by firecrackers and stray bullets. Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque III disclosed that the indiscriminate firing of guns has already claimed the life of an infant who was hit by a stray bullet. As of December 27, the DOH also said it has monitored 87 cases of firecracker-related... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Weapon Ban, Celebratory Wedding Shootings Hike Gun Prices in Pakistan
Daily Times (Lahore)
26 December 2007
LAHORE -- The prices of small weapons and ammunition have increased since November, weapon dealers have told Daily Times. Some dealers said the weapons' prices had increased because of an increase in their use at wedding ceremonies. The other dealers said an increased risk in keeping the weapons and a fear of the cancellation of selling permits had pushed up the prices after the government had imposed a ban on carrying the weapons.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
Iraqis Celebrate by Firing Guns Into the Air, Stray Bullet Hits British Officer
Sky News (UK)
23 December 2007
An RAF officer had a lucky escape despite being hit by a stray bullet during celebratory gunfire by a group of Iraqis. Flight Lieutenant Neil Lawrenson was wearing body armour -- but the round went into his upper arm. However, it entered at such an angle that it left almost no damage and did not hit any bone or muscle. If the bullet, which fell from the sky in Basra, had gone in at a different angle, the British... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia
Nine People Wounded by Celebratory Gunfire at Namibian Wedding Party
Namibian (Windhoek)
17 December 2007
WINDHOEK -- Nine people were wounded when revellers fired shots during a wedding reception at Ombundamuti village in the Omusati Region on Saturday afternoon. The Police arrested three young men but found that only one of them could be charged, said Sergeant Linekela Shikongo. He said it was difficult to figure out who shot whom, because there were many people at the wedding, "dancing, singing and celebrating". "The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bahamas, United States
Virtually Impossible for Bahamians to Legally Possession a Firearm - Minister
Bahama Journal
24 November 2007
It is virtually impossible for Bahamians to legally come into possession of a firearm, according to Desmond Bannister, Minister of State For Legal Affairs, who says firearms legislation in this country is among the toughest in the region. Mr. Bannister said the police are quite diligent and strict when it comes to the licensing of firearms. He said the problem with The Bahamas is that its archipelagic nature, which law... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Pakistani Wedding Party Drinkers Blamed for Shot Infant, Wounded Mother
News (Karachi)
30 October 2007
RAWALPINDI -- A stray bullet fired by someone in a group of drunkards killed an 18-month-old boy in the lap of his mother here late on Sunday night, police said. The gunmen started firing on people standing on rooftops of their houses when they prevented them from firing in the air, police said. Zafar Iqbal, son of Raja Gulistan, resident of Haji Chowk, told the Sadiqabad police that he runs a shop adjacent to his house. He said... ( gunpolicy.org )
Jamaica
Jamaican Cop Held After Giving Gun Salute at Slain Colleague's Funeral
Jamaica Observer
1 October 2007
SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine -- A police constable who discharged his firearm at the graveside of a murdered colleague on Saturday in the presence of Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller was immediately taken into custody by the Spanish Town police for questioning and his firearm seized. According to the police, the interment of Sergeant Edgerton Brown, who served in Simpson Miller's security... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia
Another Stray Bullet Injures 4yr-old Girl in Macedonia Playground
Dnevnik (Macedonia), Transcript
6 August 2007
The celebration bullets kill people too. We seem to not be able to learn this lesson, and because of that, we are often witnesses of incidents in which stray bullets end up hitting innocent bystanders. A family celebration for someone can easily become tragedy for others. Only by chance the 4-year-old Jana from Skopje did not end up being the new victim of the stray bullets, and from representation of life and hope to be turned... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq, West Asia, United States, United Nations
Celebratory Gunfire Kills Bystanders, Children Around the World
Star Phoenix (Saskatoon), Column
31 July 2007
Why is it that anytime there is a celebration in the Middle East, the first thing people do is reach for a gun and start firing in the air? Watching the recent victory celebrations following Iraq's big soccer triumph, I found it hard to focus on what winning the Asian Cup means for the future of the country. All I could think of is where those bullets might be landing. Reports out of Baghdad suggest at least four people... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
Stray Bullets Killed At Least 7 Iraqis in Previous Soccer Win Celebrations
Associated Press
29 July 2007
BAGHDAD -- Defying orders from authorities, revelers fired celebratory gunshots and poured into the streets after Iraq beat Saudi Arabia to clinch its first Asian Cup soccer championship today. Mosques broadcast calls for the shooting to stop, and security forces enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of car bombings that killed dozens celebrating Iraq's progress to the finals Wednesday. Iraqis welcomed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
7 Dead, 50 Wounded by Stray Bullets as Iraqi Soccer Fans Fire Guns in Air
Reuters
29 July 2007
BAGHDAD -- Crowds of ecstatic Iraqis wept tears of joy and fired rifles into the air on Sunday after their soccer team's victory in the Asian Cup triggered the biggest street celebrations since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Police in Baghdad and Kut reported at least seven deaths and more than 50 people wounded by stray bullets as gun-toting revelers took to the streets in a wave of euphoria unprecedented after four years of war.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
4yr-old's Celebratory Gunfire Death Has Arizona Police Ready for 4th of July
Arizona Republic
20 June 2007
If you're tempted to fire a gun into the air this Fourth of July, you'll pay for it. That's the message from Mayor Phil Gordon, who joined law enforcement and other leaders Wednesday to urge residents against firing guns. "What goes up, comes down and kills individuals like 14-year-old Shannon Smith," said Gordon. "Random gunfire is a crime, a felony. Police will be out." On June 14, 1999 a bullet fell from the... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa
Disarmament Convention Hears Nigeria's Call for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Vanguard (Lagos)
21 March 2007
GENEVA -- The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Joy Ogwu has called on international community, includding manufacturers of Small Arms and Light Weapons as well as brokering firms to take a cue after the ECOWAS Covention, which imposes a ban on arms transfers into, from or through the West African sub-region. The Convention, which was adopted last June, places outright ban on the transfer of these small arms and light weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Woman's Bra Slows Falling Bullet Fired in Celebratory Gunfire
Associated Press
5 January 2007
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- A woman watching New Year's Eve fireworks from a picnic table found out that her bra can do more than lift and support: It also slowed a falling bullet. The .45-caliber bullet struck Debbie Bingham, 46, after someone fired a gun into the air about 20 minutes before midnight. She still needed stitches, but the wound might have been much worse except for the bra strap, police spokesman George Kajtsa said.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia
Policeman's Daughter Killed by Stray Bullet in Celebratory Wedding Gunfire
Dnevnik (Macedonia), Transcript
6 September 2006
'My daughter was killed by shrapnel from a stray bullet, she did not fall from a merry-go-round.' said the sad father, a Kumanovo policeman Adnan Iljazi (36), who lost his 10 years old daughter Herolinda tragically, on July 27. He wants to put an end to all presumptions and speculations that his daughter died from a stab by a buckle or that she fell from a merry-go-round, and he claims that she died from a stray bullet. He... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Turkish Handgun Sale At Odds With Curbs on Celebratory Shootings
ADN Kronos International / AKI
30 August 2006
ISTANBUL -- Seventeen-year-old Ahmet Sahin died after being hit by stray bullets fired in celebration at his sister's engagement ceremony in the western Turkish village of Agri. On the same day, 27 August, Turkey's state-owned gun manufacturer, MKE launched a campaign to sell off its pistol stocks -- offering discounts and installment payment schemes to buyers of any of its 42 firearm models. Gun-control activists say MKE's campaign... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Police Arrest 5 Carloads of Revellers Shooting Guns in the Air
WKMG-TV News (Florida)
1 August 2006
An undercover sting in Orlando, Florida, led to the arrest of five carloads of people for allegedly firing high-powered rifles into the sky for fun, according to a Local 6 News report. Officers stopped the group of people in a parking lot located on Colonial Drive and John Young Parkway Monday night. "The crew that gathers here are gun happy, according to police," Local 6 reporter Samantha Knapp said. "In fact, they bring... ( gunpolicy.org )
Turkey
Celebratory Gun Shots Kill Two More Young Women in Turkey
Hurriyet (Turkey)
27 July 2006
Following the highly publicized deaths this week of two young women in Turkey, both victims of bullets shot from guns fired into the air at celebrations, the head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ali Bardakoglu, has issued a strong statement to Muslims on the implications of the use of gunfire at celebrations. Said Bardakoglu, "No matter what reason it is done, whether it is at a wedding, a picnic, or after a football match,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq
Many Iraqi Soldiers Wounded by Own Guns
Associated Press
3 April 2006
BIDIMNAH, Iraq -- The two bloodied, wincing Iraqi soldiers -- bandages wrapped around their legs -- hobbled onto the waiting ambulance, wounded during a house-to-house search near this farming town. The culprit was a common one: not insurgents, but gunfire from fellow soldiers. U.S. trainers who mentor Iraqi troops say a lack of gun safety, or what they call "muzzle discipline," has led to many injuries and deaths across the country.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia
Campaign in Macedonia Raises Awareness of Dangers Posed by Gunfire
SEESAC (Belgrade) / South East European Times
27 January 2006
The start of the New Year is traditionally a time when people make resolutions. This year, one of the resolutions Macedonians were asked to make was to refrain from celebrating with gunfire. "Bullets Are Not Greeting Cards -- Celebrate Without Weapons" was the slogan of a five-week campaign launched by the interior ministry in December, in co-operation with the UNDP's Southeastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Police Seek Tougher Gun Laws After 2 Hit by Stray Bullets
Sun-Sentinel (Florida)
12 January 2006
DELRAY BEACH -- Police officials have asked legislators to strengthen gun laws after two people were hurt by stray bullets during the city's First Night celebration. Although police are still looking for whomever was responsible for firing those gunshots into the air, officials said it would have been difficult for an officer to make an arrest that night unless he actually saw someone fire a gun. "An officer could hear... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia
Authorities, Church Call for End to Celebratory Gunfire
SEESAC (Belgrade) / Blic Daily
12 January 2006
In the night of the Orthodox New Year of 2003, Boris Bankovic (37) was killed by a bullet that came through the closed window and lowered blinds while he was sitting in his home armchair. Zorica Simic from New Belgrade since her earliest age counts the last seconds of the old year in her bathroom. Her first memories of the craziest night are not nice at all, as from her early childhood she recalls the broken window pane burst into... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Young Mother Loses Eye in New Year's Celebratory Gunfire
WFTV News (Florida)
2 January 2006
ORLANDO, Florida -- Orange County detectives are searching for the person who fired a gun into the air on New Year's Eve. The stray bullet struck a young mother in the head and she lost the use of her right eye. It was supposed to be a night of fun, watching the fireworks in their lakefront yard in Hyland Oaks. But mixed in with those blasts was the sound of a .45-caliber gun. "By the time I hear the sound of the bullet,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
In Manila, 26 People Hit, One Killed in Celebratory Gunfire
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2 January 2006
MANILA -- At least three people were killed and more than 600 others were injured in Christmas and New Year's celebrations as many defied a government ban and continued a tradition of reckless celebrations. Most of the injuries, as usual, were caused by firecracker blasts, officials said yesterday. One victim died from indiscriminate gun firing and two men from accidentally eating a popular candy-looking sparkler, called... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
In Chicago, 70 Face Felony Charges for Celebratory Shootings
Chicago Tribune
2 January 2006
More than 70 Chicago-area people were behind bars Sunday facing felony charges for ringing in the New Year with celebratory gunfire. Dozens appeared on closed-circuit TV in Bond Court before Cook County Criminal Court Judge Maura Slattery-Boyle, who ordered them held in lieu of bail. Many were charged with weapons offenses ranging from reckless discharge of a weapon to unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. They face sentences... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Los Angeles: Six Arrested for Shooting Guns on New Year's Eve
KCAL-TV News / CBS (Los Angeles)
1 January 2006
LOS ANGELES -- Despite warnings from city officials, at least six people were arrested Saturday night in Los Angeles for shooting their guns into the sky during New Year's Eve celebrations, authorities said. There were no reports of injuries caused by stray bullets shot in the air, but the Hollenbeck Station, which covers the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles, reported two people were arrested for firing guns into the air.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Arrests on Rise as Dozens Fire Guns in Celebratory Shootings
WPMI-TV News (Alabama)
1 January 2006
MOBILE, Alabama -- Shots are fired in Birdville, but these bullets don't have a target. "I heard countless numbers of shots from different sides of the neighborhood." Sean Johnson is one of about a dozen people arrested overnight for firing a gun into the air. He says he didn't do it. "No was nobody shooting. We was drinking. We was trying to celebrate the New Year." Celebrating at the Birdville Carwash ... A party Johnson... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Soldier 'Fired in Air,' in Queens, Killed Muslim Woman at Window
New York Times
31 December 2005
The Army private accused of killing a Queens woman with a stray bullet from a gun he fired into the air was arraigned yesterday on manslaughter and weapons charges. The arraignment of the private, Daniel Carpio, came on the same day as an emotional funeral for the woman, Selina Akther, 28, where angry mourners said that the private purposely shot her because she was a Muslim and that the killing should be prosecuted as a hate crime.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Queens Woman Killed by Stray Bullet Through Her Window
New York Times
30 December 2005
It is not clear what prompted Selina Akther to move toward a window of her fifth-floor apartment in Queens, the police said. Her two children were sleeping and her husband was on a phone call to Bangladesh in another room, so they did not see the stray bullet that crashed through the closed window and hit her in her right eye, leaving her an unintended homicide victim. It was shortly before midnight on Wednesday when a man in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
Global Efforts to Curb Celebratory Gunfire
Voice of America
29 December 2005
Every year, people around the world celebrating the arrival of a new year by firing guns into the air injure and kill others. The city of Houston, Texas is making a special effort this year to discourage gunfire on New Year's Eve. The coming of the new year is a time of celebration that often turns rowdy and dangerous in some Houston neighborhoods. The tradition of shooting guns in the air at midnight is especially popular in Hispanic... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Former Celebratory Shooter Urges Ceasefire on New Year's Eve
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
29 December 2005
Jeffrey Boler, 35, fired a gun in to the air at midnight on New Year's Eve for most of his life. But now he urges others to refrain, saying the sometimes deadly practice can become addictive. Boler works at a shop that sells T-shirts such as the one he is wearing, with violent and gun-related themes. Boler has continued the tradition of firing shots in the air virtually every New Year's Eve since then. Now 35, he says:... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia, Montenegro
Serbs Admonished to Celebrate New Year Without Firing Guns
Canadian Press / AP
28 December 2005
BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro -- Police, sports clubs and even the United Nations have a message to Serbs celebrating the New Year: "Don't shoot!" Worried about the risk to life and limb from celebratory gunfire, the UN Development Program in the Balkan republic, as well as several sports clubs and the police have launched a campaign warning residents to refrain from the annual tradition of firing guns into the night sky as a way... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
End Gun Violence: Youths Should Distribute Trigger Locks
Detroit Free Press, Editorial
16 December 2005
Death or serious injury by gun violence is almost always as senseless as it is tragic -- but never more so than when a young person is shot while playing with a loaded gun. Detroit received another reminder of the dangers of having loaded guns in a house last week, when 3-year-old Robert Allen Deason III apparently shot himself in the chest with a 9mm handgun in southwest Detroit. He remained in critical condition Thursday at Children's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Newark Again Offers to Buy Firearms from Residents
Newsday (New York)
16 August 2005
NEWARK, New Jersey -- Hoping to reduce violence and replicate the success of earlier gun buyback programs, the state's largest city on Monday embarked on two months of purchasing weapons from residents. In 2001 and 2002, Newark spent more than $100,000 to purchase 1,099 firearms from residents. This year's program will use $50,000 seized from wrongdoers. "This is an opportunity for Newark residents to turn in their guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia Awash With Weapons 10 Years After War
Agence France Presse
2 March 2005
British Major Sebastian Wade had a rude awakening when he returned to Bosnia for his second tour of duty as a peacekeeper earlier this year -- the Balkan country is still awash with weapons 10 years since the end of its bitter inter-ethnic war. "I'm surprised that we are still devoting so much manpower to seizing illegal weapons and I'm also surprised that there are still weapons coming in," Wade told AFP during a recent house search... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Man Who Fired Gun in Air Charged in Death
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
16 January 2005
ORLANDO -- An Orlando man who celebrated New Year's Eve by firing his rifle has been charged in the shooting death of a man who lived more than a mile away. Richardo Roach, 24, was charged Friday with manslaughter with a firearm in the death of Henry McDaniel, 75, sheriff's officials said. Roach was released later Friday on $2,500 bail, jail officials said. "It's hard for him to accept that a bullet from his gun hit somebody,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Holiday Gunfire Can Be Deadly
Tampa Tribune (Florida), Column
15 January 2005
South Shore isn't the rural area it used to be. Even in the less-populated communities, people need to be more conscious of being good neighbors than they have ever been. The random firing of guns to celebrate holidays, and sometimes on weekends, too, "just for fun" is a long-standing tradition in some areas of Ruskin and Wimauma. But on New Year's Eve, one of those stray bullets almost hit innocent neighbors. Ruth Kelly,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Newark, New Jersey Pleads With Residents to Avoid 'Celebratory Gunfire'
Associated Press
31 December 2004
NEWARK, New Jersey -- In a city already reeling from a string of recent fatal shootings, police pleaded with residents Friday not to mark the arrival of the new year with bursts of celebratory gunfire. It is an appeal being made across the country in places like Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans and other cities where residents typically let loose with gunfire to celebrate New Year's. "I urge the... ( gunpolicy.org )
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