ST. LOUIS (97.1 FM TALK/AP) - More than 700 calls were made to police in St. Louis about gunfire as people celebrated New Year's and four people were struck by stray bullets, police say.
The number of shootings reported between 5 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. Saturday increased this year to 736. Last year it was only 542 and in 2019 police reported 544 calls, during the same time period.
The numbers come from St. Louis Police's Shotspotter gunshot detection system.
At least four people were struck by stray bullets:
• Police said a 15-year-old girl was struck in the arm shortly after 6 p.m. Friday near Natural Bridge Avenue and Goodfellow Boulevard. She was with a 39-year-old man who said he felt pain in his back after he heard gunshots while he was driving east on Natural Bridge.
• A 41-year-old man went to a hospital around 9 p.m. Friday after hearing shots as he drove in the 8800 block of North Broadway and feeling pain.
• Then around 1 a.m. Saturday, a 14-year-old girl was hit in the arm by a falling bullet as she stood outside watching fireworks.
Police promoted "Fun Without Guns" in the days leading up to New Year's in hopes of curbing some of the gunfire.
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