A New Year’s Eve celebration turned tragic in Florida, when a grandmother was fatally struck by a stray bullet from celebratory gunfire.
56-year-old Carmen Rosa Neira Ochoa of Kissimmee was watching fireworks from her porch shortly after midnight when she was hit by the bullet. Family members were devastated by the sudden loss, according to FOX 35 in Orlando.
“Someone just called me, just screaming that my mom got shot. My mom got shot,” said a family member to the outlet.
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Kissimmee police are investigating the incident and believe the bullet came from celebratory gunfire. Neighbors described a chaotic scene as police rushed to the neighborhood after reports of the gunshot.
“It was straight out of a movie. Almost pretty much, I mean cops got off all the vehicles like 10 vehicles almost, and there were rifles, pulled out with flashlights,” recounted one neighbor to the outlet.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of celebratory gunfire. Firing bullets into the air is not only illegal but also incredibly dangerous, as what goes up must come down. The angle of falling bullets makes them even more lethal than in a typical shooting.
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Ochoa’s family is pleading for the public to understand the consequences of celebratory gunfire and to refrain from this reckless behavior.
“I just want to raise awareness of people out there, you know, celebrating, you know, don’t shoot guns, you know, they don’t know what family, they can hurt,” a family member urged.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Police are working to identify the source of the gunfire and hold those responsible accountable.
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