YPD warns community of New Year’s celebratory gunfire

Each year, the Yuma Police Department responds to numerous reports of “shots fired” on New Year’s Eve in the community. Police are now warning about the dangers of celebratory gunfire during the holidays.

According to YPD, some people discharge firearms into the air to bring in the New Year. Authorities want to remind residents that this a felony offense and encourage anyone that witnesses this type of criminal activity to notify police immediately.

A state law, called Shannon’s Law, made this a felony offense to discharge firearms randomly into the air. The law was introduced following the death of Shannon Smith, a 14-year-old Phoenix girl who was killed by a stray bullet in June 1999.

YPD is also warning about fireworks safety as they can present a safety risk. Fireworks can only be used from December 24 to January 3. Fireworks continue to be prohibited on all public property including all parks, sidewalks, streets, and rights-of-way, except by permit for supervised public displays only.

Arizona state law allows the public to use novelty-type fireworks that include the following:

Ground and handheld sparkling devices, Cylindrical fountains. Cone fountains. Illuminating torches. Wheels. Ground spinners. Flitter sparklers. Toy smoke devices. Wire sparklers or dipped sticks. Multiple tube fireworks devices and pyrotechnic articles. This does not include anything that is designed or intended to rise into the air and explode or to detonate in the air or to fly above the ground. This includes firework items commonly known as bottle rockets, sky rockets, missile-type rockets, helicopters, torpedoes, roman candles, and jumping jacks.

Authorities said it remains unlawful to sell, offer or expose for sale, use, explode or possess any of these fireworks.