INDIANAPOLIS -- As the New Year approaches, police are concerned about a dangerous Indianapolis tradition that seems to be on the rise.
Each year, as the clock strikes midnight, some people in Indianapolis turn their guns to the sky and start shooting. But that number is on the rise, according to police.
"Those bullets have to come down at some point in time," Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's Sgt. Jim Gillespie said. "It can cause an unnecessary danger to the community that is around you and your neighborhood."
Each year after midnight on January 1st, police are called to numerous homes that have suffered damaged from stray bullets fired during New Years celebrations.
In 2018, a bullet came through the roof of Alyssa Mullens' home on the near north side. The bullet landed just a few inches away from their dog.
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The issue of people firing their guns into the air to celebrate the holidays isn't a new issue, according to police. Call 6 has covered the rising issue of stray bullets in Indianapolis for years and the continued concern of people shooting their guns to celebrate New Years.
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The impact of stray bullets can cause serious injury or even be deadly.
Police have become so concerned over the past few years, in some Indianapolis neighborhoods, officers are now instructed to look for cover under overpasses or in buildings right around midnight.
Indianapolis Police say small caliber ammunition can fall at a rate of 300 feet per second. Large caliber ammunition can fall at 500 feet per second.
At a rate of 150 to 170 feet per second, a bullet can penetrate the skin. At 200 feet per second, a bullet can penetrate the human skull.
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