Planning on firing a gun into the air to celebrate the new year? Better not, the Atlanta Police Department says.
APD sent out a statement on Dec. 27 reminding people that they should refrain from using their personal firearms on Dec. 31 to inform others how happy they are about having lived to see another year.
“If you fire a gun into the air, the bullet can travel up to a mile high and then it will fall. When that bullet falls and hits someone, it can have the same impact as when you aim and fire at someone,” APD said in a press release. “By shooting a gun in the air, you could cause serious injury or the death of another person and not even know it.”
It’s also against the law, APD says. Violators will be charged with misdemeanor and face fines of up to $1,000.