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Woman advocates ceasing celebratory gunfire

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – It’s become a tradition for many to celebrate a new year by firing guns in the air, but that is a very dangerous practice that puts people’s lives at risk.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said there were about 15 reports of property damage as a result of New Year’s gunfire.

Valerie Davenport Mason’s North Olney Street home was hit by a stray bullet just before 11:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. She found the bullet on the floor and a bullet hole in the ceiling of one of her bedrooms above the bed.

“My husband had been sleeping in that bed,” said Mason.

Mason’s husband wasn’t lying in the bed only because he had gotten in late from church. At the time of the bullet hitting their home, Valerie was in another room and her husband was in their kitchen.

Fortunately, no one was hurt. Valerie hopes sharing her experience will cause people to think twice before firing gunshots in the air.

She said, “Just be careful. Just don’t shoot ’em. Why you got to shoot ’em? What goes up comes down. It came in here this time. It could have hit somebody.”

IMPD said there are no reports of injuries caused by gunfire during New Year’s celebration. Reports show police arrested one person, not related to Valerie Mason’s case, but that number could change.