Celebratory gunfire arrest: Newnan woman caught shooting gun off apartment balcony

NEWNAN, Ga. - A Newnan woman was arrested on the Fourth of July when deputies say neighbors called 911 to report celebratory gunfire coming from her apartment balcony. 

In the body cam video of the arrest of 36-year-old Testny Woodard, she explains to the deputy that she was not shooting at anybody, she was shooting up in the air and slanted. The deputy is heard to explain that the bullets will still come down and could hurt someone.  

Deputies say they have charged Woodard with reckless conduct, willful obstruction of law enforcement, unauthorized discharge of a firearms near a public roadway and discharging a firearm under the influence of alcohol.  

"When taking the female into custody, the deputy noticed the smell of alcoholic beverages coming from her and, with slurred speech, he believed her to be extremely impaired," said Sgt. Toby Nix of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office.  

The deputy says when he arrived at the apartment complex at around 6:30 on July 4, he heard gunshots and saw 20 to 30 people in the complex enjoying the holiday. Concerned for their safety, he says he confronted a juvenile on a deck holding a gun, which he says Woodard grabbed the gun from the youth and took inside.  

The deputy says when she came out of the apartment he placed her under arrest. 

The deputy's report says that Woodard works for a local insurance company. She has bonded out of jail. 

Celebratory gunfire on the Fourth of July 

Celebratory gunfire is a major concern in communities across Georgia every year. Police say arrests are difficult to make; this was an exception. Law enforcement officials remind gun owners that this type of gunfire isn’t just dangerous, but also deadly. 

ShotSpotter, a California security technology company, reports that about 15% of all celebratory gunfire happens around New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the Fourth of July, with about two-thirds of that total occurring around the Fourth of July. 

Marquel Peters (Supplied)

In metro Atlanta, one such incident claimed the life of Marquel Peters, a 4-year-old boy who was attending a church service in Decatur on New Year’s Eve in 2010. Authorities say a bullet fell through the church roof, striking and instantly killing the young boy. 

His death led to the establishment of Marquel’s Pledge, dedicated to reducing celebratory gunfire in DeKalb County and throughout Georgia.