With fireworks banned in area counties, people may turn to their gun cabinets to find an alternative.
Crime Stoppers is reminding revelers that celebratory gunfire is both dangerous and illegal.
The phrase used by law enforcement is 'What goes up must come down,' and officials say bullets shot into the air are no exception. They climb up to two miles, and then come back down at a speed of 300 to 700 feet per second -- a velocity great enough to cause property damage, serious injury or death.
Firing a gun on the Fourth of July or anytime carries criminal penalties with charges ranging from discharging a firearm to deadly conduct.
