The Most Predictable Crime: Celebratory New Year’s Eve Gunfire and What You Can Do to Stop It
By Stephen C. Picou
This past New Year’s Eve, from the relative safety of my home near South City Park in Opelousas, I counted approximately 180 gunshots, more than 100 of them in the first five minutes of 2024. I was disappointed but not surprised.
Celebratory New Year’s Eve gunfire is an annual phenomenon I first publicly warned about in New Orleans in 1991-92. Few listened back then, and in the first minutes of 1994, Amy Silberman, a young tourist from Boston, was heading to the Moonwalk behind Jax Brewery as the fireworks on the river were underway when a bullet ripped through her brain and lodged in her neck killing her instantly. I counted more than 3300 shots in an hour and a half that night. I heard more in prior years.
For the next ten years, a group of us, including Amy’s incredible family, promoted an annual “Falling Bullets Kill!” campaign. Thanks to our efforts, the problem began to recede, and after a decade, I stopped counting gunshots on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans because there were so few. Here in Opelousas, the situation warrants our attention and action.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Major Mark LeBlanc is well-acquainted with the issue and is using a social media campaign to raise awareness. “People should call 911 or their local police department if they know the number and report any nearby shootings. The sound of gunfire bounces off buildings, often making it difficult to determine the exact address, but you can mention the street or neighborhood where you hear the shots, and officers will respond,” he stated. “Don’t wait; call while the gunfire is still happening.”
Celebratory gunfire on New Year’s Eve is one of the most predictable crimes, occurring at midnight across every time zone worldwide. Those convicted of this offense in Louisiana can face up to two years in prison plus fines. For felons caught with a firearm, the consequences can be severe: 20 years in prison and a lifetime ban on gun ownership.
Every civic and religious leader has the power and responsibility to raise awareness and put an end to celebratory gunfire. However, each of us can also contribute to addressing this dangerous practice. Promptly reporting illegal gunfire when you hear it is essential. “Our officers will be prepared, so if you hear gunfire, make that call,” Major LeBlanc added. “Don’t ignore this dangerous behavior. Your call could save a life.”
If you fire a gun in celebration, you’re playing a deadly game of roulette with someone else’s life. Most shots are fired at an angle, not straight up, resulting in an arc in which the bullet’s velocity remains consistent and fatal. A bullet fired into the air can travel as far as two miles and still retain its ability to kill.
The lesson we learned in New Orleans is that spreading the news is the best way to reduce the problem. Tell your friends and neighbors you’ll be on alert, and let them know you’re counting on them to take a stand against this dangerous and unlawful activity.
Illegally firing a gun to celebrate the New Year is the epitome of stupidity. Every bullet has the potential to kill and maim, and it only takes one to change lives forever. For the innocent people harmed or killed, celebratory gunfire is a lottery from hell. But if we all work together, we can end it, and 2025 can have a truly safe and happy beginning in St. Landry Parish.
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