Police Warn Against Popular New Year’s Eve Celebration

Around the world, billions will celebrate as the clock strikes midnight on Thursday to ring in the new year. 2025 will come to an end, bringing promise and a clean slate for 2026.

In order to make sure as many people are able to celebrate the new year as possible, police around the country are requesting that citizens refrain from celebrating in a time-honored but dangerous way.

Law enforcement agencies are reminding Americans that celebratory gunfire - shooting into the air during parties or large events - is illegal in many areas. The consequences can also be deadly for those firing the weapons, and for unassuming bystanders or other members of the immediate community.

Hundreds of Victims Have Been Affected

“Every year, stray bullets from celebratory gunfire injure or kill innocent people, even children,” said San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus in a public service announcement. The video also featured a testimonial from Jorge Valdez-Meza, a victim of celebratory gunfire.

“I had taken a bullet,” Valdez-Meza said. “I could’ve got hit on my heart, my head, any other area, but thankfully, my elbow was the one that took it.” In San Antonio alone, police and emergency crews responded to 361 calls of celebratory gunfire on New Year's Day 2023, and 338 calls on the same day one year later.

Several people were shot by celebratory gunfire last year, including a 10-year-old girl killed in Miami on New Year's Day. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz urged bystanders to call in celebratory gunfire if they see it this year.

“Do not assume someone else is going to report it,” Cordero-Stutz said. “Bullets shot straight up, come back down at deadly speeds.”

Cities like Aurora, Illinois are using technology to determine the geographic location of gunfire. “Celebratory gunfire puts innocent people at risk, and our priority is protecting the people who live and work in Aurora,” said the city's police chief, Matt Thomas.

Police Attempt To Prevent Further Incidents

In Memphis, Tennessee, a three-year-old boy was killed by celebratory gunfire on New Year's Eve in 2023. The bullet struck him inside an apartment at around 6 PM that night, and he died at a local children's hospital after being taken there in critical condition.

While investigating the incident, Memphis police believed a "random bullet may have come from a different part of the apartment complex.”

“We’ve tried to stress that this month: Celebratory gunfire is illegal and celebratory gunfire leads to tragic events like this and we just have to stop shooting these guns,” said the department's assistant chief Don Crowe.

As New Year's celebrations begin around the country, police and law enforcement are urging citizens to celebrate responsibly and safely for the well-being of themselves and those around them.