PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As the new year approaches, Philadelphia officials are once again pleading with the public to find ways to ring in 2024 without the celebratory gunfire this New Year's Eve.
According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a bullet fired in the air can return to the ground at speeds exceeding 200 feet per second. District Attorney Larry Krasner says that based on the data, anyone can get hit by a stray bullet.
“Actions have consequences,” he said. “You fire a bullet up in the air, it will come straight down. If you fire it at an angle, it's going to come down somewhere over there. There is somebody you love who could be on the other end of that bullet.”
To combat the celebratory gunfire, the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office is providing free gun locks that are available for pickup at their office, located at 100 South Broad Street. There will also be extra police officers patrolling the streets.
State Senator Sharif Street says the legal ramifications of firing a gun are the least of anyone’s problems.
“Those legal consequences pale into comparison of having to bury your loved one and live with the guilt, live with the despair of having been responsible for the death of your loved one because you were celebrating in a reckless and irresponsible way,” he said.
Officials say the extent of the noise on New Year’s Eve should come from fireworks, loud music, or banging on pots or pans.