Crime & Safety

Gunfire Narrowly Misses 10-Year-Old Girl On 4th Of July

A man was firing his gun at the ground in celebration of the 4th of July, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said.

FREEDOM, CA — A man was arrested on the 4th of July after firing his gun on the ground, causing a bullet to ricochet into a nearby home, narrowly missing a 10-year-old girl, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said.

Douglas Paz was firing his revolver in celebration of the holiday, the sheriff's office said. A bullet entered a home on Miller Avenue and missed the child by inches. There were no serious injuries reported in connection with the incident.

Deputies said they served a search warrant at the home and located his revolver and two other guns. Paz was arrested on suspicion of negligently firing a gun and resisting arrest, the sheriff's office said.

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