Nearly a year after a stray bullet shattered her jaw, Charlotte flight attendant Leah Hixon is asking her neighbors to think twice before firing guns into the air as the July Fourth holiday approaches. The round struck Hixon while she was inside her north Charlotte home on July 4, 2025, and she has spent months cycling in and out of surgery and therapy. "Guns are not fireworks," Hixon says. She notes that while the physical scars have mostly healed, the emotional fallout, including anxiety and PTSD, is still very real.
What happened and what's known
According to WBTV, the projectile entered Hixon's home in the 4900 block of Jane Avenue on the night of July 4, 2025. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says detectives are investigating the shooting, but so far, no arrests have been announced.
Long road back: surgeries and work
Hixon underwent reconstructive surgery and other treatments at Atrium Health and has since returned to work as a flight attendant, her supporters say. A fundraiser organized by friends and family had raised more than $21,000 to help cover medical and recovery costs, according to GoFundMe.
Investigation and the partners' plea
As reported by WBTV, Hixon's partner, Natalie Mayo, rushed her to the hospital the night of the shooting and has been by her side throughout her recovery. Both women have urged neighbors to "speak up" if they hear reckless shooting and to avoid treating firearms like a substitute for celebratory fireworks.
Why firing into the air is dangerous
Public-safety reporting and analysis show that celebratory gunfire spikes around major holidays and can be deadly. The Trace and other outlets note that rounds fired into the air eventually come back down with enough force to maim or kill. Police departments routinely issue reminders before holidays that discharging a firearm in populated areas is both illegal and hazardous.
How to help
People who want to support Hixon's recovery can donate or read updates on GoFundMe. Local news outlets and law enforcement agencies also advise celebrating with sanctioned fireworks displays and contacting 911 if you hear people firing guns in residential areas, noting that reporting such activity can help investigators.
Hixon's message is simple: accidental or celebratory gunfire can change lives in an instant, and she hopes her story will make at least one person pause before pulling a trigger. "It could affect someone's life forever," she said. Mayo added, "We all have to look out for each other."
