COLUMBUS – Law enforcement officials are again warning central Ohioans who want to mark the Independence Day holiday with some celebratory gunfire that what goes up must come down, sometimes with fatal results.
The office of Columbus City Attorney Rick Pfeiffer has released its annual public service announcement warning against the continuing trend of indiscriminately shooting a firearm into the air.
“While we are under no illusions that individuals foolish enough to shoot guns into the air will listen to reason, we still feel strongly about trying to educate the overall public about this issue,” said First Assistant City Prosecutor and chief of staff Bill Hedrick, who is leading the PSA program.
His message: Firing a gun into the air is illegal and dangerous.
July 4, 2012 – a 34-year-old doctoral student in Michigan was struck and killed by a falling bullet while watching fireworks.
July 4, 2013 – a seven-year-old boy in Virginia was struck on top of the head and killed by a falling bullet while walking with his father to watch a fireworks display.
Jan. 1, 2015 – a 43-year-old Texas man was struck on top of his head by a bullet while watching fireworks with his family.
Firing a weapon in an act of “celebration,” is a crime under Section 2323.30 of the Columbus City Code, Pfeiffer said. So far in 2015, Pfeiffer says 15 charges of illegally discharging weapons have been filed in Columbus, on top of 28 cases last year.