Local leaders are asking the community not to engage in celebratory gunfire on Independence Day. Firing guns into the air can endanger people for miles around. Some people hit by stray bullets survive, but for other innocent bystanders, these dangerous celebrations are deadly.
WOUNDS WILL BRING THAT INFORMATION TO YOU RIGHT HERE IN THE WRAL ACTION. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, MARK. SO DISTURBING TO THINK THAT GUNMAN IS STILL ON THE LOOSE. WE WILL SHARE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AS THEY COME IN ON THAT BREAKING NEWS THROUGHOUT THIS NEWSCAST. MEANWHILE, LOCAL LEADERS AND DURHAM ARE ASKING RESIDENTS NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE, SHOOTING GUNS INTO THE AIR. >> BOTTOM LINE, IT CAN BE DEADLY AND IT WAS FOR DURHAM FAMILY IN 2020. HOWEVER, THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF A FAMILY IN RALEIGH DEALING WITH THE CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE INCIDENT WRAL'S MONICA CASEY HAS MORE. MONICA. >> A LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE TRIANGLE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THE CONSEQUENCES, SOLD CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SOME HIT BY STRAY BULLETS SURVIVED. BUT FOR OTHER INNOCENT BYSTANDERS, THESE DANGEROUS CELEBRATIONS CAN BE DEADLY. A DAY OF CELEBRATION TURNED TO TRAGEDY. >> 74 YEAR-OLD PAULETTE THORPE WAS SITTING OUTSIDE A FRIEND'S HOUSE ON BURLINGTON AVENUE WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY A STRAY BULLET ON THE 4TH OF JULY IN 2020 KIND OF SENT BACK TO IT. >> SO THE ONE GETS 2 YEARS LATER, HER FRIEND LINDA AND LEAK STILL MISSES HER. >> SHE'S GOOD PEOPLE. SHE'S A BIG ONE PERSON PER FAMILY ALSO FEELS HER ABSENCE TO GET ON IT AND THEY WANT TO THROW FOR UPS. NEXT FEW HARLOW'S LIONS DESCRIBES HIS AUNT WAS FUN, >> DURHAM CITY COUNCIL EARLY IN. OUR DO. WILLIAMS IS ASKING GUN OWNERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE. I JUST WANT FOLKS TO DIS INTERNALIZE THAT IT COULD BE THEIR FAMILY MEMBER. IT COULD BE THAT LEAK SAYS SHE WILL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY AND HER FRIENDS LIFE AS I'M NOT GOING TO BE A SCORE. MY JOY. >> OKAY. I'M NOT ON THAT. THE DEVIL STEEL, MENTAL CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE IN DURHAM. LAST YEAR, ALEX CHRISTIE WAS HIT BY A STRAY BULLET WHILE WATCHING FIREWORKS AND RALEIGH OUT OF NOWHERE. SOMETHING LIKE THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL. >> IT ME IN THE BACK REALLY HARD AND REALLY KNOCKED THE WIND OUT OF ME. SHE STILL STRUGGLES WITH PAIN AND SORENESS AT TIMES. THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS BEEN HERE TO PROTECT US AND OUR SAFETY. >> POLICE HAVE NOT YET MADE ANY ARRESTS IN THORPE'S DEATH, BUT THEY'RE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CALL DPD OR
