Discharging firearms into the air dangerous, illegal

The Maricopa Police Department would like to remind residents it is illegal and dangerous to discharge firearms into the air or out into the open.

In the past, some residents have been known to shoot a few rounds to greet the New Year.

The negligent discharge of firearms is a state felony and the Maricopa Police Department said it will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Shannon’s Law was passed in 1999 after a stray bullet killed 14-year-old Shannon Smith while she was talking on her cell phone in the backyard of her central Phoenix home.

Residents who hear gunshots are encouraged to report the incident by calling 911.