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Shooting-in-the air, unintentional injury and death
Filipino Police Gun Barrels Taped to Prevent NYE Celebratory Shootings
28 December 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
In many parts of the world, the traditional celebration of happy events is to fire gunshots into the air - a kind of makeshift personal firework, if you will.
The Philipines is no different, so to keep discipline over New Year's Eve in the country this year, officers in the Filipino police have taped their subordinates' firearms shut.
These pictures show policemen on parade for a 'sealing of firearms' ceremony at their headquarters in Camp Crame, suburban Quezon city,... (GunPolicy.org)
Handicap International Graffiti Contest Promotes Gun Control in Libya
21 November 2011
Tripoli Post (Libya)
The Saturday forecast warned of a rainy November afternoon - a crowd gathered nonetheless at the Tashkil Libya Al-Hurra Brigade in Keesh for one of Benghazi's first ever formal graffiti contests organised by French NGO Handicap International to raise awareness of the dangers posed by small arms and light weapons.
However, for many of the young contestants it was as much an opportunity for personal expression, as it was about tackling one of Libya's most pressing... (GunPolicy.org)
US Baseball Hero Cleared of Celebratory Shooting in Dominican Republic
9 November 2011
BBC News
Dominican Republic baseball star Alfredo Simon has been cleared of charges over a fatal shooting in the country on 1 January.
Simon, pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, was accused of shooting dead one man and injuring another during New Year celebrations.
Defence lawyers said the prosecution had failed to prove he fired the shots.
The baseball player was held for two months earlier this year as the main suspect before being released on bail.
Simon was accused of... (GunPolicy.org)
Tripoli Awash in Guns, Celebratory Shootings as Rebels Register Firearms
9 September 2011
Christian Science Monitor
TRIPOLI, Libya - As rebel forces moved on Libya's capital three weeks ago, the people of Tripoli prepared for the worst. They expected that Muammar Qaddafi would somehow "burn" the capital as he fell and state TV said the rebels would slaughter them.
Those apocalyptic fears have so far failed to materialize. Instead, three weeks after Mr. Qaddafi went into hiding, the celebrations continue. Now, the top cause of casualties in Tripoli is the number of bullets fired... (GunPolicy.org)
Bullets from the Sky, Amateurs with Guns Multiply Firearm Injury in Libya
30 August 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
ZUWARA, Libya — If not for guns, there would be a lot of idle hands in Libya.
Out front of what used to be a high school, Fethi Karshman, 49, whose brother Samir lives in St. Catharines, Ont., is wiping down parts of a Russian anti-aircraft gun.
When he is done, Karshman, an engineer who studied Russian in university, will re-assemble the weapon, which sits on a flatbed truck.
"We take it from Gadhafi (forces) yesterday," he says.
Asked if he knows guns, Karshman... (GunPolicy.org)
Macedonia,Puerto Rico,United States,Libya
How Dangerous is Celebratory Gunfire? Many Innocents Are Struck, Killed
24 August 2011
Guardian (UK)
Without doubt, war correspondents are wise to wear helmets and flak jackets while sending dispatches from shell-pounded streets crackling with gunfire.
But when Sky News reporter Alex Crawford rode into Tripoli this week on a rebel pickup truck, she was more worried about celebratory gunfire – because of the danger posed by bullets landing on her head.
While some early studies conjectured that bullets shot upwards simply vanished into space, the threat from falling... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,Macedonia,Kuwait,Iraq,Philippines,Jordan,Turkey,United States,Libya
Celebratory Shooting Injuries: How Dangerous is Firing a Gun Into the Air?
22 August 2011
BBC News
Libyan rebels have celebrated their advance into Tripoli by firing guns in the air. How hazardous is this?
It is, unarguably, an emphatic way to display one's jubilation.
Shooting an automatic weapon into the sky to signal an occasion one welcomes is a popular practice in much of the world, as the footage of Libyan anti-Gaddafi forces seizing the main square of the capital city has demonstrated.
But it is a potentially fatal activity, which regularly results in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Miami Celebratory Shooting Killed 10yr-old Boy: Gun Owner Gets 10yrs Jail
11 February 2011
Miami Herald
For shooting his pistol into a discarded couch on New Year's Eve, killing an 11-year-old boy hiding behind the furniture, Zenon Fernandez must serve 10 years in prison, a Miami-Dade judge ruled Friday.
"There are no winners in this case," said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Yvonne Colodny.
A jury in October convicted Fernandez of manslaughter with a deadly weapon in the slaying of Joshua Arroliga, who was killed while playing a game of hide-and-seek on Dec. 31, 2007 outside... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan President Tackles Problem of Celebratory Gunfire Deaths
27 January 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
South Sudan president, Salva Kiir Mayardit strongly warned members of the armed forces against celebratory gun-fire on the day of the announcement of the final referendum results, due on 14 February.
Kiir, also Sudan's first vice-president, urged these forces to protect peoples' lives and properties, just like they did during the one-week long referendum polling period, widely regarded as peaceful.
"Your excitement should not cause misery to yourselves and others. I... (GunPolicy.org)
Wedding Guest Hit by Celebratory Gunfire, Jordanian Shooter Gets 5 Years
9 January 2011
Al Rai / Ghazi Mirrors
AMMAN - A Criminal Court on Sunday in its first ruling of its kind developed accused the oldest on the shots fired at a wedding I'm his sister, resulting in injury to an audience imprisonment with hard labor five years after the criminalization of a felony attempted murder of intent and in accordance with the provisions of Article 326 and 70 of the Penal Code and the terms of Article 67 of the law.
[Google translation]
Translated summary from IANSA Update, 13 Jan... (GunPolicy.org)
1000 Killed in 10 Years by Stray Bullets, Celebratory Shooting in Colombia
4 January 2011
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
Translated summary: 1000 people have been killed by stray bullets in the last 10 years in Colombia, according to CERAC, a Bogota-based NGO. Most of the stray bullets are fired during gun fights, but celebratory gun fire is also common during Christmas and New Year celebrations. Between December 2010 and January 2011, 70 adults and children were killed by stray bullets and over a hundred were injured in Colombia's biggest cities.
Murió niño herido en Año Nuevo.... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire Claims 30 Victims, 5 Philippine Gun Owners Charged
4 January 2011
Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo yesterday cited the limited time in the implementation of the campaign against indiscriminate firing and the establishment of special firecracker zones for the 30 victims of stray bullets during the last holiday season.
Robredo said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) would start as early as this month to prepare safety measures for the next Yuletide... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Felon Arrested Following Celebratory Gunfire on New Year's Eve
3 January 2011
Morning Journal (Ohio)
LORAIN — A Lorain man told police he had "made a poor decision by firing his gun on New Year's" and was arrested on several weapons charges, according to a Lorain police report.
Michael White, 27, was held at gunpoint by police after he was the only one seen on Apple Avenue after the officer heard shots fired in the area. White reached for his waistband several times, prompting the officer to bring out his gun, according to the report.
Officers found a .22-caliber... (GunPolicy.org)
SWAT Team Cop Arrested for Celebratory Gunfire on NY's Eve in Georgia
2 January 2011
WALB-TV News (Georgia)
ALBANY, Georgia - An Albany police officer is suspended with pay after he was arrested on New Years Day for recklessly firing the department's gun while celebrating the start of 2011.
Officer Grady Rachel Jr. spent several hours behind bars in Lee County for firing his Albany Police Department issued weapons.
The celebration took place at 114 Elejay Court off of Lover's Lane road in the Wisteria Estates Subdivision.
"Witnesses stated they were ducking down in their... (GunPolicy.org)
Chicago Police Chief Warns Celebratory Shooting Can Earn Years in Prison
31 December 2010
Chicago Sun-Times
New Year's Eve revelers who plan to shoot off guns, beware: You not only can be arrested, you can face mandatory jail time.
A new law mandates one to three years in prison for anyone without a valid Firearm Operators Identification Card (FOID card) who unlawfully uses a loaded and uncased firearm. Besides facing a mandatory prison term, people who accidentally shoot an innocent bystander face even harsher punishment and cause unfathomable pain and loss to the victim... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Warn Philippine Security Guards Against NYE Celebratory Shooting
29 December 2010
GMA TV News (Manila)
With just a few days to go before New Year's Day, Metro Manila police reminded security guards not to fire their service firearms to welcome the new year.
Radio dzBB's Nimfa Ravelo reported on Wednesday that Metro Manila police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome warned that security agencies would suffer harsh penalties if their personnel welcome the new year with gunshots.
Bartolome said that reports reaching him indicated that security guards accounted for many cases... (GunPolicy.org)
LA Gun Owners Warned Again Not to Fire in the Air for New Year's Eve
27 December 2010
Daily Breeze (Los Angeles)
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles police and county sheriff's deputies warned the public Monday to resist ringing in the New Year with celebratory gunfire, which can have dangerous consequences.
Shooting into the air can be deadly, and officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said those caught face possible felony charges.
"ATF wants you to know that you can enjoy the festivities without placing the public in danger," said John A. Torres, special... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police Tape Officers' Gun Barrels to Deter Celebratory Shooting
25 December 2010
Manila Bulletin
ILOILO CITY, Philippines – The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), down to its local stations, will be plastering adhesive tape on their gun barrels Sunday, according to ICPO Director, S/Supt. Marietto Valerio.
Valerio said that he will be meeting with his subordinates to also discuss other measures in line with the holiday celebrations.
The taping of ICPO personnel's gun barrels is considered by the ICPO in line with the "guidance of Police Regional Office 6 (PRO 6)... (GunPolicy.org)
Minnesota Gun Owner Gets 5yrs for Celebratory Shooting at Street Dance
7 December 2010
Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Minnesota)
A Maple Grove man who was arrested in July for firing a shot during a crowded street dance in Deer Creek is headed to prison in St. Cloud for five years.
Anthony Edward Mitchell, 34, was convicted last week on one count of second degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of possessing a pistol after a previous conviction for a violent crime. He was originally charged with those counts plus five more second degree assault charges, the combined maximum... (GunPolicy.org)
Minnesota Gun Owner Gets 7yrs in Jail for Celebratory 4th of July Shooting
7 December 2010
Associated Press
A St. Paul man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for firing his gun into a Fourth of July crowd, hitting and wounding a 14-year-old boy.
Fifty-one-year-old Cary Francis Schmidt was convicted Oct. 15 of first- and second-degree assault. Schmidt declined to speak when Judge Teresa Warner gave him a chance Tuesday. The family of the victim, Gunnar Footh, urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence, which would have been more than 8-and-a-half years.... (GunPolicy.org)
In California, Illegal Guns Not as Easy to Get as Some Believe - Police
9 November 2010
Richmond Confidential (California)
From mid-September to mid-October there were 182 separate instances of gunfire in Richmond; that averages out to about six a day.
Not all of these shootings — tracked by the department's ShotSpotter gunshot detection system — were motivated by violence, said Captain Mark Gagan, head of Richmond's central police district. Many incidents were apparently celebratory, like people firing off guns at parties or after the San Francisco Giants won the World Series.
Still,... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting Greets Indian Minister: 'I Hate Gun Culture,' He Says
15 October 2010
Times of India
JAMSHEDPUR - The first-time minister, Gopal Krishna Patar alias Raja Peter, disapproves "gun culture". This he made clear on Thursday.
During his maiden visit to the city on Wednesday, after becoming a minister in the Arjun Munda-led government, Peter's overenthusiastic supporters had fired shots in the air to accord him a rousing welcome. But their "daring" act boomeranged as Peter made public his displeasure to it.
"I don't like display of guns and firing shots in... (GunPolicy.org)
German Celebratory Bullet Hit Man in Head Years Ago - He Just Noticed
25 August 2010
Reuters
A Polish man living in Germany went about his business for about five years without realising he had been shot in the head because he was drunk when it happened.
Police in the western city of Bochum said on Tuesday that doctors found a .22 calibre bullet in the back of his head after the man went to have what he thought was a cyst removed.
Presented with the 5.6mm projectile, the 35-year-old recalled he had received a blow to the head about midnight at a New Year's... (GunPolicy.org)
Groom Kills 3 Family with AK-47 in Turkish Wedding Celebratory Shooting
9 August 2010
Agence France Presse
A Turkish groom accidentally killed his father and two aunts at his wedding when he fired into the air with an assault rifle in celebration.
Eight other people were wounded in the incident at the village of Akcagoze in the south-eastern province of Gaziantep on Sunday, the Anatolia news agency said.
The groom unleashed a volley of rapid aerial shots with an AK-47 rifle to celebrate his nuptials, but lost control of the weapon and accidentally raked the guests with... (GunPolicy.org)
Miami's 'PR Nightmare' as 6yr-old Italian Boy Hurt by Celebratory Gunfire
21 January 2010
Miami Herald
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 that the bizarre incident would damage... (GunPolicy.org)
'Brazen' Celebratory Shootings Targeted by Baltimore Police
13 January 2010
Baltimore Sun
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 guns and arrests were made at rowhouses in East and Northwest Baltimore by... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Killed in Georgia Church by NYE Celebratory AK-47 Bullet
5 January 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
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 fall on the floor, and I heard a sound and I heard him... (GunPolicy.org)
New Year's Celebratory Bullet Kills 4yr-old Georgia Boy Sitting in Church
1 January 2010
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia)
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 of God of Prophecy near Decatur.
Marquel was seated... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona City Leads Way in Preventing, Prosecuting Celebratory Gunfire
31 December 2009
Arizona Republic
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 her family's central Phoenix backyard, speaking... (GunPolicy.org)
Kurds Give Guns to Supporters, Celebratory Gunfire Injures, Kills Dozens
18 August 2009
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
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, arguing that they were honouring Kurdish... (GunPolicy.org)
LA Police Arrest 13 for New Year Celebratory Shootings, Seize 23 Guns
2 January 2009
Associated Press
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)
NY's Eve, Chicago: 262 Shooting Reports, 30 Celebratory Gunfire Arrests
2 January 2009
Chicago Sun-Times
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 and suburbs cracked down on so-called... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police List 37 Recent Stray Bullet, Celebratory Gunfire Injuries
2 January 2009
Philippine Star
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.
Police said Renato Petilona of Road 10, Barangay... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 6yr-old Girl in the Head in Guam Celebratory Gunfire
2 January 2009
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
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 will try to match unique grooves on the... (GunPolicy.org)
Chicago Celebratory Gunfire: 32 Gun Arrests, 75 Weapons, AK-47s Seized
2 January 2009
Chicago Tribune
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 and an AK-47, police said.
In one instance,... (GunPolicy.org)
One US Town Gets 119 Gunfire Reports, AK-47 Fired, 7yr-old Girl Shot
1 January 2009
WKRG-TV News (Alabama) / AP
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 about shots being fired Wednesday night and early... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire Killers Face Murder Charge, Warn Arizona Police
31 December 2008
Arizona Republic
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.
- Shooting a gun into the air is a felony. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Miami Campaign Aims to Curb Stray Bullets, Celebratory Gunfire Injuries
31 December 2008
NBC6-TV News (Florida)
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 Year's Eve.
Reverend Jerome Starling... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles Police Will Charge Celebratory Gunfire Killers with Murder
30 December 2008
Los Angeles Police Department, Blog
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 of Los Angeles. Anyone... (GunPolicy.org)
Manila Prepares for Celebratory Gunfire Season, Stray Bullet Injuries
27 December 2008
GMA News TV (Manila)
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 sa taas (This is alarming. We already... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police Seal Their Officers' Guns to Prevent Celebratory Gunfire
27 December 2008
GMA News TV (Manila)
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 hoping that their personnel would influence... (GunPolicy.org)
Americans Prevent Gun Violence in Baghdad More Than They Do At Home
16 October 2008
Stars and Stripes (US Military)
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 AK, they confiscated it and took it... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets, Celebratory Shootings, Political Gun Killing in Pakistan
27 July 2008
Daily Times (Lahore)
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 a hotel near his residence and was a... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunshots, Stray Bullets Often Cause Injury, Death in Jordan
17 July 2008
National (Abu Dhabi)
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 by a stone at first, and I was shocked when... (GunPolicy.org)
Wedding Party Celebratory Shooting Kills Another Passerby in Karachi
13 July 2008
News (Karachi)
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 years in Babar House (situated at... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting, Stray Bullet Injury Require Urgent Action - Turkish MP
27 June 2008
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
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 from stray bullets. "Our commission... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire, Occasional Deaths Inexplicable Feature of Turkish Life
11 May 2008
Today's Zaman (Istanbul), Column
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 asking why. I had such a hard... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets Often Kill Passersby, Children in Lebanese Celebratory Gunfire
4 April 2008
Agence France Presse
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 her off her feet as she walked to a pharmacy.... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting Turns Wedding Into a Funeral in United Arab Emirates
10 February 2008
Gulf News (Dubai)
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 Police Station, said the victim was also firing in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting Kills Bride's Cousin, 19, at Indian Wedding Party
28 January 2008
Indian Express
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 father, Ashok Sharma, has registered a case at... (GunPolicy.org)
Single Celebratory Bullet Fired at Police Funeral Kills 2, Injures 2 in Ghana
28 January 2008
Samuel Duodu's Stories (Ghana), Blog
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 in the abdomen, killing the 70-... (GunPolicy.org)
Passenger Jet Hit, Damaged by Celebratory Gunfire Over Montenegro
9 January 2008
Associated Press
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.
The jet carrying 32 passengers and five... (GunPolicy.org)
AK-47, Other Assault Rifles Double in Price, Sell Swiftly in Lebanon Crisis
5 January 2008
Times (UK)
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 (£1,500), more than double the price... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 5yr-old Tucson Boy in New Year's Celebratory Gunfire
3 January 2008
Associated Press
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 scalp, but the incident may leave his family... (GunPolicy.org)
Italians Killed, Injured as Celebratory Gunfire, Stray Bullets Rattle New Year
3 January 2008
United Press International
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 ricocheted and lodged in his brain, while a... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman in Alabama Church Hit in Face by Stray Bullet During NYE Gunfire
2 January 2008
Mobile Press Register (Alabama)
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, said Whitfield, who added that surgery may be... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 12yr-old Trinidad Boy in Celebratory New Year's Gunfire
2 January 2008
Newsday (Port of Spain)
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 came from. Alma
Samuel-Ford, the boy's... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire Kills Brazilians, Stray Bullets Fly in Rio's New Year Bash
1 January 2008
International Herald Tribune / AP
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 news service reported.
Three other... (GunPolicy.org)
Kindly Curb Your Enthusiasm: Celebratory Gunfire Discouraged in Missouri
31 December 2007
Examiner (Missouri)
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 and firing a firearm to salute the... (GunPolicy.org)
Baby Killed, More Injured by Stray Bullets, Celebratory Gunfire in Philippines
28 December 2007
Pacific News Center (Guam)
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 injuries that required intensive... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapon Ban, Celebratory Wedding Shootings Hike Gun Prices in Pakistan
26 December 2007
Daily Times (Lahore)
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.
The Punjab government, on the... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraqis Celebrate by Firing Guns Into the Air, Stray Bullet Hits British Officer
23 December 2007
Sky News (UK)
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 airman could have lost his arm.
He was even more... (GunPolicy.org)
Nine People Wounded by Celebratory Gunfire at Namibian Wedding Party
17 December 2007
Namibian (Windhoek)
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 suspect is now with the Police at Outapi, and it... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,West Asia,United States,United Nations
Celebratory Gunfire Kills Bystanders, Children Around the World
31 July 2007
Star Phoenix (Saskatchewan), Column
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 were killed and 17 wounded by celebratory... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets Killed At Least 7 Iraqis in Previous Soccer Win Celebrations
29 July 2007
Associated Press
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 the victory as a chance to show the world they... (GunPolicy.org)
4yr-old's Celebratory Gunfire Death Has Arizona Police Ready for 4th of July
20 June 2007
Arizona Republic
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 sky and killed Otis and Lory Smith's daughter Shannon,... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Woman's Bra Slows Falling Bullet Fired in Celebratory Gunfire
5 January 2007
Associated Press
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.
Bingham, who was in town from... (GunPolicy.org)
Policeman's Daughter Killed by Stray Bullet in Celebratory Wedding Gunfire
6 September 2006
Dnevnik (Macedonia), Transcript
'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 also said that the night when she died... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Handgun Sale At Odds With Curbs on Celebratory Shootings
30 August 2006
ADN Kronos International / AKI
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 flies in the face of the grim... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gun Shots Kill Two More Young Women in Turkey
27 July 2006
Hurriyet (Turkey)
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, what is trying to be proved by... (GunPolicy.org)
Campaign in Macedonia Raises Awareness of Dangers Posed by Gunfire
27 January 2006
SEESAC (Belgrade) / South East European Times
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 and Light Weapons (SEESAC).... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities, Church Call for End to Celebratory Gunfire
12 January 2006
SEESAC (Belgrade) / Blic Daily
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 a thousand pieces, the bullet stick... (GunPolicy.org)
Young Mother Loses Eye in New Year's Celebratory Gunfire
2 January 2006
WFTV News (Florida)
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, my wife already have a bullet in her eye,"... (GunPolicy.org)
In Chicago, 70 Face Felony Charges for Celebratory Shootings
2 January 2006
Chicago Tribune
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 ranging from probation to jail if... (GunPolicy.org)
In Manila, 26 People Hit, One Killed in Celebratory Gunfire
2 January 2006
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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 watusi or dancing firecrackers, in the run-up... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles: Six Arrested for Shooting Guns on New Year's Eve
1 January 2006
KCAL-TV News / CBS (Los Angeles)
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.
Ditto, the Southeast and 77th Street... (GunPolicy.org)
Arrests on Rise as Dozens Fire Guns in Celebratory Shootings
1 January 2006
WPMI-TV News (Alabama)
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 says police broke up just before midnight.... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Celebratory Shooter Urges Ceasefire on New Year's Eve
29 December 2005
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
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: "Firing a firearm on New Year's was just like... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Efforts to Curb Celebratory Gunfire
29 December 2005
Voice of America
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 neighborhoods. But while most... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbs Admonished to Celebrate New Year Without Firing Guns
28 December 2005
Canadian Press / AP
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 to celebrate the holiday.... (GunPolicy.org)
End Gun Violence: Youths Should Distribute Trigger Locks
16 December 2005
Detroit Free Press, Editorial
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 Hospital of Michigan.
Such... (GunPolicy.org)
Newark Again Offers to Buy Firearms from Residents
16 August 2005
Newsday (New York)
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 and receive cash, no questions asked," Mayor... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia Awash With Weapons 10 Years After War
2 March 2005
Agence France Presse
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 near Prijedor, northwestern... (GunPolicy.org)
California City Cracks Down on Celebratory Gunfire
31 December 2004
San Mateo County Times (California)
REDWOOD CITY, California — A lot of revelers like to ring in the New Year by firing guns in the air.
But the dangerous practice is a felony in California, and police in Redwood City have some of the most sophisticated technology available for tracking down the source of gunshots.
In an action dubbed "Operation Silent Night," police tonight will go after anyone who fires a weapon at the stroke of midnight.
"The Police Department hopes to reduce random gunfire... (GunPolicy.org)
Newark, New Jersey Pleads With Residents to Avoid 'Celebratory Gunfire'
31 December 2004
Associated Press
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 residents of Newark against ringing in the New... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory, Stray Bullets Rain on Homes: Injuries Common
14 November 2004
Sunday Times (South Africa)
Bullets are raining on Bramfischerville, shattering windows and TV sets, and even injuring residents. Some say the mystery missiles come from a shooting range 2km away — but the manager of the rifle club claims residents are shooting off their guns in the streets
When residents who lived near the Jukskei River in Alexandra were relocated to Bramfischerville three years ago, they thought their lives would change for the better.
But their "promised land", west of... (GunPolicy.org)
Plane Reported Shot Down by Wedding Celebratory Gunfire
12 October 2003
BBC News
Guests at a wedding in central Serbia have apparently shot down a small aircraft by mistake.
They were celebrating in the traditional way — firing off shot after shot into the air above the wedding party.
Unfortunately, there was a two-seater aircraft flying overhead.
One eye-witness told reporters the plane was shot in the left wing.
He saw flames coming from the aircraft which a few moments later it flew into overhead power-cables.
Two men on board are... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Weapons Prove the Real Threat in Iraq
29 September 2003
USA Today
WASHINGTON — U.S. forces haven't found Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, but they're literally stumbling over a much more immediate threat: weapons of individual destruction.
Spc. Moses Rodriques carries rocket-propelled grenades Saturday after the discovery of a large arms cache near Tikrit.
These are the mines, booby traps, rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers and Soviet-made automatic rifles that are killing and wounding American soldiers almost... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture Stymies the United Nations
26 September 2003
Christian Science Monitor
CERNICA, Kosovo — The victim was a schoolteacher, killed by a grenade as he sat in a grocery store in the village of Cernica in eastern Kosovo.
"He was drawing up lesson plans for the beginning of the school year," says Radusha Brankica a fellow teacher. Crying, she then pleads, "I can't take any more of this violence. With grenades and guns everywhere, how can we stop the killing?"
The blast this month was part of a recent rash of weekly shootings and explosions... (GunPolicy.org)
KFOR Operations Seek to Weed Out Illegal Weapons
20 July 2003
Stars and Stripes (USA)
PRISTINA, Kosovo — Even four years after NATO troops ended the conflict in Kosovo, illegal weapons are presenting a security concern and also a destabilizing factor in development of the province.
One way of tackling the problem is frequent intelligence-led Kosovo Force operations. In just one week of such operations, working together with United Nations Mission in Kosovo and Kosovo Police Service, KFOR has confiscated 15 rifles, 21 rockets or anti-tank weapons, one... (GunPolicy.org)
US to Clamp Down on Iraqi Weapons
23 May 2003
Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq — A new U.S. policy aimed at drastically reducing the number of weapons in Iraq will allow people to keep guns for self defense at home but outlaw them almost everywhere else, the commander of American ground forces in Iraq said Friday.
Lt. Gen. David McKiernan said permits will be granted to keep guns at home. There will be limits on the type of weapon allowed and the bullet caliber, he said.
"The intent is not to completely disarm the Iraqi... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraqis to Keep Small Arms at Home for Protection
21 May 2003
New York Times
BAGHDAD — Iraqi citizens will be required to turn over automatic weapons and heavy weapons under a proclamation that allied authorities plan to issue this week, allied officials said today.
The aim of the proclamation is to help stabilize Iraq by confiscating the huge supply of AK-47's, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons that are used by criminal gangs, paramilitary groups and remnants of the Saddam Hussein government.
Iraqis who refuse to... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy, 9, Shot in Buena Park During 4th Festivities
5 July 2002
Los Angeles Times
A 9-year-old was shot and critically wounded in Buena Park late Thursday as he took part in a Fourth of July celebration in a crowded public park, police said.
The boy, who was struck once above the waist, was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange with a wound that could be life-threatening, said Police Lt. Corey Sianez.
The boy was at Boisseranc Park on Dale Street, north of La Palma Avenue, celebrating with thousands, when he was shot about 9 p.m., Sianez said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 8yr-old Louisiana Boy in 4th of July Celebratory Gunfire
3 July 2002
Advocate (Louisiana)
Sandra Pfister didn't know what had happened to her 8-year-old son until she saw the blood seeping from his head.
Seth Pfister was killed in his own front yard July 4, 2001, by a falling bullet. He was walking to the car at 4464 St. Gerard St. when he suddenly crumpled to the ground.
His older sisters, both outside at the time, thought he was joking.
Then came the blood.
Sandra Pfister walked outside carrying her granddaughter just after her son was hit.
"I threw... (GunPolicy.org)
2 Celebrating With Handguns Are Shot by Police
2 January 2002
New York Times
Two revelers who fired handguns into the air to celebrate the New Year were wounded in separate exchanges of gunfire with the police early yesterday after they turned their weapons on officers, the police said.
Hours later, after another year in which the number of murders in the city had declined sharply, the first homicide of the new year occurred.
The shootings of the revelers occurred minutes apart, one in Queens, the other in Brooklyn.
At about five minutes... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Issue Holiday Reminder: No Gunfire
29 December 2001
Los Angeles Times
Bullets fired in celebration, usually on New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July, have killed at least 40 people since 1985 in Los Angeles County.
In recent years, however, a major publicity effort by city and county law enforcement agencies has helped reduce the carnage.
The Los Angeles Police Department says gunfire reports on New Year's Eve in the city, for example, fell from 788 in 1992 to 500 last year. A device known as the Shotspotter Communications System,... (GunPolicy.org)
Don't Enact Federal Law to Solve Local Issues
4 September 2001
Denver Post (Colorado), Editorial
Coloradans used to love bashing Texans who thronged here in summer or during hunting season, often in motor homes that should have been registered as aircraft carriers. That's passe now that we can blame Californians for every ill from overbuilding to halitosis.
I think the Left Coasters deserve a time out, so I will bash the place of my birth, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for indirectly giving me and some other Coloradans the vapors. Any Californian who wishes... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill Targets Celebratory Gunfire
12 January 2001
Courier-Post (New Jersey)
In the early moments of 1999, Greg Jaskolka was outside his boyhood home in South Philadelphia, "ringing bells and blowing horns," as he puts it, when his son, Joseph, 11, suddenly fell to the sidewalk.
At first, the elder Jaskolka was confused.
But leaning down, the former police officer realized what had happened.
His son had been hit in the skull by one of the literally hundreds of bullets that were fired into the air that night to welcome in the New Year.
Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Killed by Stray Bullet on New Year's
2 January 2001
Los Angeles Times
Benjamin Velasco carried a gun for his job as a security guard, but he did so reluctantly. He rarely touched it at work and refused to bring it near his family.
But his caution around guns was not enough to protect him.
The 31-year-old father of two girls was killed early New Year's morning after a stray bullet hit him in the back as he stood outside his mother's home in Willowbrook.
Sheriff's investigators believe the bullet that struck the Lynwood man was fired as... (GunPolicy.org)
Palestinians' Gun Culture Poses Political, Social Perils
18 August 2000
Los Angeles Times
RAMALLAH, West Bank — When Ahlam Duqmaq was gunned down in her father's butcher shop by gangs looking for her brothers, Palestinians were outraged. Is our life this cheap? they asked. Who will protect us?
Duqmaq's killing became a glaring example of what Palestinians complain is a growing scourge: the militarization of their society, in a land where rival security forces shoot it out in public, young civilian men swagger through marketplaces with assault rifles, and... (GunPolicy.org)
