Houston, Texas nurse likely killed by celebratory gunfire

[deminks]

https://abc13.com/family-matriarch-killed-likely-by-celebratory-gunfire/5804260/

A 61-year-old woman celebrating the new year with her family is dead after she was shot by celebratory gunfire, deputies say.

This happened just after midnight in the 12300 block of May Laurel Drive in the Laurel Oaks subdivision.

Authorities told ABC13 the woman, identified as Philippa Ashford, was standing at the end of the driveway while family and friends in the cul-de-sac were shooting off fireworks, when she suddenly clutched her body and said, "I think I've been shot."

She collapsed to the ground and died.

"At this point from our witnesses and seeing at the scene, we believe this may very well be a case of celebratory gunfire somewhere else in the neighborhood," said Sgt. Ben Beall with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "No indication a family member or anyone else in the cul-de-sac was discharging a firearm."

(end snip)

Way to start a new decade, "murika, with another senseless death.

[2naSalit]

1. I've lived in some places where it sounds like a war zone...

some would go almost until daylight. It was scary.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. I hope they find the "celebrant" and prosecute him fully!

Such behavior is along the same mindset of dropping cinderblocks off overpasses...

[SCantiGOP]

3. Even if firing straight up into the sky

that bullet has to come down somewhere.

[CanonRay]

5. You can never fire "straight up"

There's always a trajectory. I used to live in south Texas and it was horrible on New Year's Eve

[rickford66]

6. At probably 90% of the firing velocity.

In physics problems we usually neglected air friction so it's only a best guess.

PS I picked Mr. Natural long before I saw your pick. Nice pick.

[targetpractice]

8. I think of this every time I see folks fire machine guns toward the sky...

... in overseas protests. That's a lot of bullets that will rain down nearby shortly.

[miyazaki]

14. Found a .45 bullet on my flat roof a couple years back

most likely from new years. It left a good little indentation like a meteorite. Could have been my fucking head!

[Downtown Hound]

4. As fun as it might be to blame this on Texas gun culture

I heard guns go off last night in California. There are idiots everywhere.

[smirkymonkey]

7. I have a friend who wants me to come to visit her in Texas.

Two reasons I don't want to go. 1. I hate flying. 2. Gun nuts.

[Merlot]

10. I visited a friend who moved to Texas from California

Her husband had big black duffle bags full of guns in their home office.

I'd say about 4 duffle bags, maybe 20 guns. Big guns.

Never again.

[smirkymonkey]

20. This friend also moved their from California and she actually likes it there.

Her husband is kind of an odd duck. He kind of scares me and it wouldn't surprise me if he had an arsenal as well. That is another reason I don't want to go.

[marble falls]

9. This happens in Chicago with bullets coming down through the roofs of homes.

[jcmaine72]

11. YeeeeeeeeeeeHHHHHHHaaaaaaaaawwwwwwww!!!!!

How fucking stupid are some people? What sane person discharges a deadly weapon to "celebrate" something?

[Initech]

23. Seriously! If you're going to fire a gun in the air, at least shoot some damn blanks.

They make those for a reason. People who wildly shoot guns in the air should be charged with murder if the bullets hit and kill someone like that.

[MineralMan]

12. I was pleased not to hear any gunfire at midnight.

It was really cold outside. There were some fireworks, though.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. Truly stupid to allow "celebratory gunfire."

What goes up, must come down.

[dalton99a]

17. It's illegal in Texas cities

But the shooter might not be violating any Texas law if he or she is alone on an isolated West Texas ranch firing into the air on New Year's Eve. (Murphy's Law, the law of gravity and basic common sense suggest it's still a bad idea.)

In cities, there’s less leeway. Anyone who recklessly fires a gun within the boundaries of a city with more than 100,000 residents can be jailed for up to one year and fined up to $4,000 — even if he or she fires the gun on his or her own property. State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, wrote that law in 1995 with celebratory gunfire in mind.

"Even a bullet fired straight up in the air on private property can cause severe injury when it lands," a 1995 report on the bill by the House Research Organization said. "People are being shot by randomly fired bullets as they stroll down a street or watch television in their living rooms."

https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/04/celebratory-gunfire-legal-texas-no-except-when-it/

[yellowdogintexas]

21. Where was our Neighborhood Police Officer last night

when they went off for about an hour.

Granted there were fireworks mixed in, but all in all it did sound like a war zone. I live in a quiet subdivision.

[exboyfil]

15. Most likely had a horizontal vector on the bullet

Doesn't change the fact that firing a weapon randomly is idiotic at the highest level.

Hope they catch the gunman, but it is unlikely especially if several were firing their weapons.

[ecstatic]

16. I can't believe there are still assholes out there who think it's

OK to fire shots into the air. Unbelievable! You don't get a kill pass just because it's New Year's Eve/day!

[lpbk2713]

18. I hope the idiot behind the gun does the right thing and steps forward.

But somehow I'd doubt if this individual has a backbone.

[ck4829]

19. Wow, no reason why this had to happen

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

22. And of course, there are still those who say that guns make us safer.

At least in my neighborhood there were only fireworks.

[Submariner]

24. When the gun is purchased is there a slug from the gun available to law enforcement

to match ballistics so they can trace the gun to the gun humper who shot the gun?

[AllyCat]

25. Just another good guy with a gun.

Why the hell would ANYONE shoot a weapon in “celebration”? This is why guns and every f*cking bullet should be registered so we can find these idiots and take away their little lethal penile extenders and put them in a safe place for the rest of their lives. If you are a gun owner who thinks firing a weapon to “celebrate” is acceptable, Judy turn in the guns to the police and sign yourself into residential treatment.

[Runningdawg]

26. I have lived in the same section of Tulsa for over 30 years

I hear the gunfire every year. This year was unbelievable. It sounded like a battle that last 20 min or more. We went into our tornado safe space (concrete shower) until it was over. We were sure one volly hit the garage door. This morning I was truly surprised not to find bullet holes in the house or car.
Cops were too busy at sobriety checkpoints making their quotas to care.