On Christmas Day, the Houston Police Department has warned the public again not to engage in celebratory gunfire over the holidays.
The Houston police chief’s announcement came on the heels of a shooting in northeast Houston, early Christmas Morning. In the incident, near Mesa Drive and Homewood Street, one man was shot in the shoulder but will survive, police said.
The call came in about 10 minutes after midnight.
“They had their sunroof open and apparently that’s when the driver heard something -- a thud,” Lt. V’Shawnda McLean said.
Lt. McLean said that the bullet appeared to have entered through the sedan’s open sunroof before becoming lodged in the 22-year-old man’s upper left shoulder.
The victim and another person where headed to a family member’s house for Christmas, police said.
The crime of celebratory gunfire is often charged as “deadly conduct,” which can be up to a third degree felony and can carry two to 10 years behind bars.
Chief Troy Finner said that the Houston Police Department will be actively monitoring for celebratory gunfire and illegal fireworks within city limits, come New Year’s Eve.
“It’s a felony and the DA’s office is going to be out, we’ve already had the meetings. We’re going to be out and our partners are going to be out,” Finner said Monday.