Chesterfield roofing company collects stray bullets, warns about the dangers of celebratory gunfire ahead of New Years Eve – 8News

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) The countdown to the new year has officially started! Time is winding down with only two days left, however police are urging people to put down the guns and stop celebratory gunfire.

Firing a gun into the air is illegal in the state of Virginia and if someone is hurt in the process, its considered a felony.

As many Virginians get ready to ring in the new year, its important to revisit the dangers of celebratory gunfire. New Years Eve is traditionally celebrated with fireworks and social gatherings, but some choose to celebrate illegally by shooting off rounds into the air.

Chesterfield County Police Captain Michael Breeden says theres an uptick in gunfire on the Fourth of July and New Years Eve, proving to be deadly.

What goes upmust come down, Captain Breeden said.Unfortunately, it happened here.

Before pulling the trigger, think about Brendon Mackey. On July 4, 2013, the 7-year-old was walking near the Boathouse in Brandermill with his father to watch fireworks when a stray bullet struck the top of his head, killing him instantly. Chesterfield County Police believe Mackeys death was the result of celebratory gunfire.

I cant imagine as a parent just a tragedy, Captain Breeden said. After that, we enhanced the law to where you could be charged with a felony if celebratory gunfire resulted in injury or unfortunately someone died.

The tragic case is unsolved, but still active. However, years after the 7-year-olds death in Chesterfield, folks are still firing off. Brandon Brooks, Operations Manager at Cross Timbers Roofing, holds onto stray bullets collected in the Richmond-Metro area.

What we have found over the years is occasionally we run into thisand that is bullet holes in the roof, Brooks said.

As Brooks verbalized that statement, he poured out the collection of bullets on a table.

Brooks manages the residential division of Cross Timbers Roofing and says his team is often called out to service leaky roofs. However, upon further inspection sometimes the culprit of the leak is a bullet lodged into the structure, which Brooks calls alarming.

When we find one of these (bullets) its never laying on the roof, Brooks said. We find it upside down on the roof. The beauty of your roof is that it protects you from the elements. Well, it also protected a family from a bullet, so us finding it in the roofyes that might be a good thing that day, but what if it didnt hit a roof on the way down.

According to Chesterfield Police records, the department has received 220 calls for fireworks and 57 for gunfire on New Years Eve over the last five years.

If you hear gunfire, youre encouraged to report it to police. If someone is hurt, call 911, but if not then officials ask you to call your city or countys non-emergency police number.

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Chesterfield roofing company collects stray bullets, warns about the dangers of celebratory gunfire ahead of New Years Eve - 8News