By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

If past years are any indication, fireworks won’t be the only things fired into the air this Fourth of July.

Traditionally, some people like to fire guns in the air to celebrate the holiday.

It’s an act law enforcement is strongly advising against.

“We are encouraging people not to do that in the city limits,” Selma Chief of Police William T. Riley said. “For one thing, it’s against the law to discharge a firearm in the city limits, but it’s also dangerous because what goes up must come down.”

Indeed, what goes up must come down and — in the case of bullets — sometimes a lot faster and more lethal than when it was fired.

Bullets fired into the air will come down and run the risk of seriously or fatally wounding someone.

“We’ve had a number of people shooting into the air on the Fourth of July,” Riley said. “We advise against it because it’s too dangerous. We definitely wish people wouldn’t do that.”

Dallas County Sheriff Department’s Chief Deputy Randy Pugh said there are usually a high number of calls related to guns fired in the air on New Year’s Eve, but he expects calls of the same nature on July 4th.

“It’s a pretty stupid thing to do because what goes up must come down,” said Pugh. “We’ll get some calls, but sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between the gunfire and fireworks.”

Riley said there would be legal consequences for those caught firing their guns into the air.

“We will charge anyone caught doing so within the city limits because it’s reckless and dangerous,” Riley said.

Pugh said the charges a person receives in the county would be determined by where the firearm was discharged, depending on whether it was fired on private property or within city limits.