A 9-year-old San Antonio boy was hit by a stray bullet that entered his dwelling on the town’s West Aspect. It was New 12 months’s Eve and he was preparing for mattress.
The bullet went via the cell dwelling’s wall and hit him proper above the knee, based on the San Antonio Police Division.
Simply after midnight, one other man in a close-by neighborhood was standing in his entrance yard listening to the sound of what he thought had been fireworks when he, too, was hit by a stray bullet within the arm.
Earlier that day, on the Northeast aspect of Bexar County, a stray bullet pierced the roof of a house and obtained lodged in the lounge ceiling. All throughout the town, residents reported damages from stray bullets from celebratory gunfire.
Town’s Governance Committee, which critiques new coverage initiatives, on Jan. 15 handed a movement to approve a council consideration request filed by Councilwomen Teri Castillo (D5) and Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) asking that the town roll out a public service marketing campaign known as “Name the Photographs,” to encourage residents to report gunfire and stray bullets.
The councilwomen, whose districts embody the West aspect of San Antonio, mentioned the coverage was created in response to a rise in resident calls.
“[Residents are] listening to extra gunfire of their neighborhoods. It’s exhausting to really feel secure in your own home whenever you’re listening to gunshots,” Alderete Gavito mentioned after the Governance Committee assembly.
The marketing campaign would inform residents what to do to report gunfire so cops know the place to focus their efforts to search out these accountable.
In 2023, SAPD Chief William McManus mentioned the division obtained 102 requires photographs fired across the new yr’s vacation.
That following yr over the brand new yr’s vacation, calls greater than tripled to 361.
And on July 4, SAPD obtained 304 calls about gunfire, he mentioned.
Final yr, the police division rolled out a public consciousness marketing campaign throughout the holidays about security ideas that included details about celebratory gunfire.
Although most celebratory gunfire is banned in Texas, there are exceptions as this 2017 report from The Texas Tribune explains.
“The New 12 months and Fourth of July are alleged to be instances of celebration for our San Antonio households,” Castillo mentioned. “When somebody recklessly fires bullets into the air, we wish to be sure that our residents perceive the correct methods to report these circumstances. Our proposal goals to teach and equip our residents and hold one another secure.”
Through the years, stray bullets have additionally contributed to wreck to the San Fernando Cathedral’s roof downtown, which in 2023 was changed due to bullets inspectors discovered on the roof.
Previously, SAPD used a gunshot alert system that allowed residents to report gunfire at particular places. It resulted in 2017 on account of prices and restricted success.
Lawmaker proposes state invoice banning celebratory gunfire
State Rep. Liz Campos, whose district contains San Antonio, plans to introduce a invoice this legislative session to get an identical gunfire reporting program in Texas.
This system would present legislation enforcement location data of the place photographs had been heard to assist legislation enforcement examine.
Final yr, Campos mentioned stray bullets entered her dwelling and hit her bed room and kitchen desk whereas her household wasn’t dwelling.
“Had I been dwelling, I in all probability wouldn’t be speaking to you proper now, as a result of it actually hit my kitchen desk and went into my cupboards,” she mentioned.
When she appeared into the difficulty statewide, she discovered the general public solely experiences about 15% of gunshots they hear.
“Individuals simply don’t report it. It’s like its changing into regular,” she mentioned.
She plans on bringing in state Rep. Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco), who was shot within the head by a stray bullet on New 12 months’s Day in 2017, to assist creator the invoice.
To report the sound of gunfire or a stray bullet, name the non-emergency line at 210-207-SAPD.
