A 16-year-old boy in Memphis began the new year with a traumatic event when a stray bullet hit him amid New Year's Eve celebrations. According to Action News 5, the incident happened just after midnight in the neighborhood of Naylor Road. As fireworks burst in celebration, a stray bullet pierced the wall of a home, striking the teen in the ankle.
The Memphis Police Department stated that officers were quickly flagged down by the boy's mother, who was in the process of driving her injured son to the hospital. The young man had come to her, explaining he'd been shot. The intervention is likely to have saved crucial time, with the officers summoning an ambulance which took him to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, where his condition was listed as non-critical and was later upgraded to stable, as reported by FOX13 Memphis.
While fireworks are a traditional feature of New Year’s festivities, the blending of their pops and explosions with the sound of actual gunfire underscores a dangerous recklessness. A family member was outside smoking when the boy was injured inside the home, WREG reported. The person recounted that though fireworks were expectantly being set off by neighbors, they had not realized shots were being fired.
Authorities have yet to release information on any suspects or whether the shooting was accidental or deliberate.
