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Toledo Police Department cracking down on random gun fire

TPD explains criminal charges for shooting a gun into the air.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Celebratory shooting may be tradition in some parts of the country but here in Ohio, it’s illegal. The holidays are over but many in Toledo are still firing guns in the air.  

We all heard how the saying goes, “What goes up must come down." That goes for bullets, as well. 

Even a bullet fired straight up at the maximum speed will never leave the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere. A combination of gravity and air resistance will slow it down until it reaches a maximum height, that’s when it will fall back down to Earth’s surface.

Where the bullet lands is unpredictable, it will travel much slower than when it was first fired. The wind and air plays a big role in where the bullet will land but even so, these falling bullets can injure or even kill people.

There are a few ways the Toledo Police Department will track down when guns are shot.

"A few different ways that we know that guns are shot, obviously if we hear them and we are in the area we will respond. We get 911 calls from citizens that hear them and through various parts of the city that shot spotter can pin point and locate shots fired," says TPD Lieutenant Paul Davis.

If a person is caught shooting a gun in the air, they will be charged.

"You can be charged with a misdemeanor for discharging a fire arm within city limits. If that bullet hits someone, that’s going to be felonious assault minimum. And if it hits someone’s house, shooting and habitation charge is also a felony. If it hits someone else’s property, like a car, that’s another criminal damage charge so there’s a lot of charges that file against someone who fires a weapon like that," adds Lieutenant Davis. 

TPD is encouraging anyone if they do see someone that fires a gun into the air to contact the police and they can remain anonymous.

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