What goes up, must come down: The first law of Durham ballistics

As much as I love Durham, there's times you've got to just shake your head and ask, for goodness sake, what's that all about?

The violent crimes that occurred over the holidays -- at least one of which involved a murder suspect out on bond, who decided to use his free time from the jailhouse to get mixed up in an armed burglary scheme -- is a much more serious example than the one I have in mind. (The question of just why we have so many crimes committed by people out on bond for other charges is one for a future discussion here.)

But the following juxtaposition just can't be passed up, folks. First, from Barry's note to the PAC2 listserv:

Was it just me, or did the volume of "celebratory gunfire" seem exponentially higher last night than in New Years past?

I thought of calling 911 after hearing the first round at 10:30 or so, but soon realized i'd be on the phone constantly trying to report all of the shots i was hearing. The locations varied, but as we walked from my house to the traffic circle at Markham/Glendale for our neighborhood celebration, we definitely heard shots, including automatic weapons fire, coming from Trinity Ave., especially east of Roxboro, and near Washington. Also from Washington and Markham area and Avondale and Markham area.

Yes, indeed -- folks decided to fire their guns into the air to celebrate the New Year. (One reader suggests this may be a broader phenomenon, noting signs appearing in some Florida towns this New Year's holiday reminding residents that discharging guns as an act of celebration is a violation of law.) Reports have also come in on the listservs of similar "celebratin'" all the way in North Durham, too.

But as we all know, what goes up must certainly come down, as we find out from a post over on the Watts-Hillandale listserv on New Year's Day:

My car was hit in the rear window by a rifle bullet last night. Based on the entry path, the police strongly suspects that the rifle was fired up in the air. Also, it probably happened  from "far away", and NOT from the street.

I am of course pretty annoyed starting the year this way but on the other hand, it is comforting that the car that took the bullet and not any living being.

Small comfort: At least they didn't hit a water tower, as happened in a town just south of Hickory on the same day. In our current drought-mania, I suspect there'd be many in the community that would want to stick the culprits up on the water tower's roof if the same thing happened in Durham.

Still, c'mon, people. Is small arms fire the only method that comes to mind for some of our fellow man in terms of celebrating the New Year? Helpful hint: giant crystal balls are meant to fall at the stroke of midnight. Bullets? Not so much.

Comments

[KeepDurhamDifferent!]

I think legalizing more types of fireworks would help. Or we could urge people to shoot blanks, as Michael suggested on the PAC2 listserv.

Blanks are pretty hard to come by (they're not sold at Dick's), but I usually have the more common cartridge varieties from boy scout firearms instruction. I actually thought about distributing these in the neighborhoods where I do some volunteer work, but was worried about running afoul of some law.

[barry]

Or we could tell people that shooting guns up in the air is illegal, and arrest them, as other cities have been doing for years. That seems to eliminate the problem.

Unless you're willing to put up with a couple of "accidental" deaths.

http://nctimes.com/articles/2004/01/02/news/top_stories/1_1_0421_07_35.txt

[EvilDoer]

why do you hate freedom?

[Myers Sugg]

I concur with your assessment Kevin about the quantity of what definitely DIDN'T sound like your average firecrackers being set off on Monday night. I have an idea where some of them originated in my neighborhood, but as you know, the distance of where a shot originated is often blurred, particularly if inside at the time. I would be interested to know what the DPD would like to say about this method of celebration, and how, if at all, can it be curtailed in the future? I disagree with David Rollins via Michael of PAC2, comments about handing out blanks. How can the sound of blanks being shot reassure me as a responsible, law abiding citizen, that they weren't real? I would never know that. Regardless, why should the celebration of a handful of folks in my neighborhood be impressed upon me with the uncontrolled sound of gunfire? I take pride in treating my neighbors with respect. Shooting real or blank rounds to celebrate New Year or 4th of July, or whatever holiday, is not excusable. I agree with Barry that folks should be arrested for discharging a firearm in the City limits, but when it was so widespread as it was on Monday night, how would they be able to make a dent?

Myers Sugg

[barry]

i don't hate freedom.

i hate reading about three year olds taken to the emergency room at midnight with inoperable head injuries.

or even 40 year olds.

[BCRVisitor]

Shooting a gun up into the air may sound like a bit of freedom, but once that projectile leaves barrel toward the sky, it is basically out of the control of the freedom wielding shooter and is now a deadly incident waiting to happen. Not all the time, but I know and have read of countless times when men, women, children and animals have been injured or killed because of someone who cannot control that projectile.

A law prohibiting such action does help. And gives law enforcement the ability to fine or arrest those who break it. I'm not much of a law freak since many laws are created because of the abuse of the few idiots in our society. However, as Ragin indicated, I'd rather see this law enacted than find out that some projectile involuntarily manslaughtered some community member (or animal, or cause property damage).

Besides, I understand the thrill of using a firearm, but there are so many other responsible thrills that are definitlely safe when ringing in the new year.

And, yes, I did think that there were more sounds of gunfire than I heard last year (though last year, I witnessed and reported it). Though I was hoping that all that popping were fireworks. A bit alarming that it was all gunfire.

[barry]

It's already against the law; though in durham it's a misdemeanor with a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail.

Sec. 12-20. Weapons--Discharging firearms generally.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person other than an officer authorized by law, or upon a range legally permitted by the chief of police, to shoot any gun or other firearm or any other deadly weapon within the city.
(b) This section shall not apply to:
(1) The discharge of a firearm in defense of person or property, or pursuant to the lawful directions of law enforcement officers; and
(2) Any person(s) firing guns or muskets in city parks for ceremonial purposes, provided that such person(s) has first obtained, in writing, permission from the director of parks and recreation. In no event shall permission be given for the discharge of live ammunition; and
(3) Any person(s) firing guns in a cemetery for the purpose of conducting a military funeral or military commemorative exercise provided that such person(s) has first obtained, in writing, permission from the city manager or the city manager's designee. In no event shall permission be given for the discharge of live ammunition.
(c) A violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisonment of not more than thirty (30) days.

http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10670&sid=33
article 1, section 12-20

[KeepDurhamDifferent!]

More enforcement will help, though I don't think it will eliminate the problem. With all of the drinking, assault, arson, and other shenanigans on NYE I think the police are pretty busy.

Most effective would be a public education campaign; this seems to have helped in other cities. Unfortunately it usually takes a high profile shooting death, as happened in my home town of New Orleans in 1994.

Celebratory gunfire is extremely common there; I remember in high school the advice was to tell the cops it was a "warning shot" because you saw someone breaking into your car. (Shooting blanks is still illegal discharge of a firearm.) As I recall it was one of the reasons why our parish legalized more types of fireworks (along with capturing the tax revenue that went across the river).

[claire]

I was over at the Glendale/Markham traffic circle with Barry, and the amount and proximity of gunfire almost every direction was pretty scary. I even made Barry forego his usual amusement of yelling at speeding drivers, since there seemed to be a plethora of drunks with guns around that night.

I was thinking that next year I'd just stay snug and safe at home, but apparently these festive New Year's bullets can go through your roof or through your walls. In the latter story, the bullet went through the wall and THEN through TWO people. I think I'll stay home while wearing my kevlar pajamas.

Bullet through the roof:

http://www.wftv.com/news/14959741/detail.html

Bullet through the walls:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14957344/detail.html

[Freddie]

It's a stupid way of celebrating, plain and simple...Just celebrate by drinking and dancing your ass off...that's it!

[Dan S.]

@ David: Whether they're legal or not, plenty of bottle rockets and roman candles were a-flyin' on New Years. I had to remind my neighbors that randomly blasting flaming projectiles into the air during a 500-year drought is probably not the smartest thing. (It might need to be said that two of the recent unprecedented wildfires in California were started by sparks from a welding torch and a 10 year old with a small book of matches.)

@ Sir Isaac Newton: People seem to think that bullets travel so fast they must keep going when fired straight up. That would be the case if it traveled roughly 25,000 mph, however, a high-velocity round tops out at about 2,500 mph, when it exits the muzzle.

I don't want to get off on a rant here, while I don't have the data handy, there's an alarmingly high number of terminal velocity vertical bullet fatalities during public holidays, weddings, major political events and the like in much of the lesser-developed nations of the world. (The proliferation of the AK-47 and its derivatives doesn't help much either.)

Perhaps if we emphasized physics a little more, and downplayed the role of [bang-bang-bang] as a celebratory sound, we'd be able to stem this stupidity.

Lord knows, we can't attack it from any other angle -- we ain't prying the AKS's/AR-15's/UMP/USCs from the hands of 'Mericuns who misinterpret the Second Amendment (them deer might get wise an' start wearing the Level III/IV armor that our troops are officially prohibited from buying for themselves).

(maybe it's just my fever talking)

[crc32]

Wikipedia on "Celebratory Gunfire": The mortality rate among those struck by falling bullets is about 32%, compared with about 2–6% normally associated with gunshot wounds. The higher mortality is related to the higher incidence of head wounds from falling bullets.

[TSQ75]

I dont like it personally...but it aint so easy to break cultural traditions and norms. Its customary even at weddings, Quinceanera parties, and general big celebrations.

[AWOL]

How about our police chief, who doesn't like being disturbed at home to talk to reporters calling about police shootings and car crashes following home invasions at a quarter to 8 PM on his day off, do a bit of outreach to those who enjoy the celebratory culture of shooting into the sky?

Is he bilingual? If so, he could cut PSAs in English and, presumably, Spanish to air on local TV and radio.

Perhaps that would help...a little?

[barry]

i've posted my recommnedations for the chief, the mayor, and the rest of council here:
http://dependableerection.blogspot.com/2008/01/making-dent.html