Every year around Independence Day, the Charlottesville Fire Department sends out a message reminding the public that fireworks are illegal within city limits.
“Please be considerate of your neighbors,” reads a press release from June 18, 2025. “Loud noises from fireworks can be especially distressing for individuals with PTSD and other sensory-related conditions.”
That notice was ignored by groups in Fifeville who put on multiple displays at Forest Hills Park on July 4. Five people including three children were sent to hospital after gunshots erupted toward the end of the unsanctioned event…