One Bullet Can Kill The Party This July 4th
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Fourth of July is all about barbecues, picnics, family time and of course fireworks.
It is not the time, however, to bring out a gun and fire it in the air to celebrate.
On Thursday, Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado and Commissioner Audrey Edmonson made their annual pitch, along with clergy and community activists, reminding everyone that "one bullet kills the party."
"Don't set a poor example because we need to send a message to our children. If we're telling them to stay away from guns and gun violence, the last thing we need to do is to pick up a firearm during the celebrations and start firing a gun," said Miami-Dade Assistant Police Director Freddy Ramirez.
Not only is it dangerous to fire into the air because stray bullets can kill, it's also a crime.
The "One Bullet Kills The Party" campaign is an annual event, but it's a message worth repeating.
Sherdavia Jenkins was only nine when she was struck and killed by a stray bullet as she played on the stoop of her Liberty City residence in 2006.
Three years ago a woman in Ft. Lauderdale was hit by a stray bullet.
April Johnson was sitting on the sidewalk in front of her brother's home at 216 NW 28th Avenue, with her one year old nephew on her lap, she felt a sharp pain in her left thigh. Miraculously her nephew escaped harm.
Johnson said the bullet came out of thin air. She doesn't believe anyone on the street where she sitting, fired the gun.
In recent years in the City of Miami, stray bullets have not been a problem. City officials believe this campaign is the reason why. But they don't want that record to be ruined by an injury or death this holiday weekend.
Police have asked for the community's help to keep their neighborhoods safe.
"If you've done done it in the past, you won't get away with it this year," said Regalado. "This year is going to be different. We have a system that detects gunshots in several parts of the City of Miami and if someone fires as a celebratory measure then officers will be knocking on their door."
Anyone who sees or hears someone firing a gun to celebrate the holiday is also urged to call 911.