Celebratory gunfire a dangerous and illegal way to observe the 4th

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone that celebratory gunfire—the firing of a gun toward the sky to commemorate the occasion -- is not only dangerous, it’s against the law.

“People have gotten injured and some have even died in various tragedies across the country as a result of celebratory gunfire. When you fire a bullet into the air, that bullet will come down. It could hit a car, a house, or a child. And I promise you, if that happens in Polk County, we’re going to do everything we can to find the person who fired the shot and hold them accountable.”

Grady Judd, Sheriff

It’s not unheard of for a stray bullet to land a mile away from where it was shot. Even if you’re inside of a house, you can still be struck by one of these bullets coming through your roof or window.

The handling of a firearm is something to be taken seriously, and never used to celebrate.