New Year's Celebratory Gunfire Could Earn You $1,000 Fine

Georgia residents who are planning to ring in the new year by shooting guns into the air could be in for a rude surprise if police catch them in the act.

It may seem like harmless fun, but officials want to remind the public that bullets ”harmlessly” shot into the air will eventually come back down to earth with high velocity. Those earthbound projectiles can do serious damage to property or people; in 2010, four-year-old Marquel Peters was killed by a stray bullet believed to have been fired to celebrate the new year.

According to WABE, Atlanta police say that anyone caught firing a gun into the air is liable to be fined $1,000. Some areas of the state have also installed sensitive equipment which can immediately notify police of gunfire.