As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, law enforcement and safety advocates are issuing a serious warning: what goes up must come down—and sometimes, it ends in tragedy.
A joyful holiday turned dangerous
For 12-year-old Ashley Rodriguez, New Year’s Eve took a frightening turn when a bullet fired into the sky during celebratory gunfire struck her leg. She was walking near her Houston home when it happened, unaware of the danger coming from above.
“I didn’t even know they had shot me,” Ashley said. “I thought it was a firecracker. It felt hot, like a cramp… but a lady came up to me and said, ‘You’ve been shot’” Rodriguez said.
The bullet, fired from a gun reportedly equipped with a silencer, tore through her leg. In a video shared with the public, Ashley held the bullet that struck her—an emotional reminder of how quickly celebration can turn to catastrophe.
“Don’t do it,” pleads victim
Ashley and her mother spoke out, in hopes that her story will prevent others from getting hurt this Fourth of July…