VIRGINIA, USA — As people in Hampton Roads prepare to ring in the New Year, local officials are urging residents to celebrate safely and reminding them that celebratory gunfire is both illegal and dangerous.
Celebratory gunfire happens when someone fires a gun into the air to mark a holiday. Officials said once a bullet is fired upward, it eventually comes down, often landing unpredictably and sometimes causing serious injury or death.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, around 2,500 firearm-related injuries were reported in 2023 and linked to unsafe gun use. Health officials said the consequences of gun violence can affect anyone, regardless of age…