Celebratory gunfire reported New Year's in Lithia Springs

LITHIA SPRINGS, Ga. - A Lithia Springs woman came very close to being hurt by celebratory gunfire overnight in New Year’s Day. She was nearly struck by a stray bullet on the front porch of her home.

It happened in the Trail Creek subdivision. The woman was recording the heavy gunfire in her neighborhood when it happened.

"Boom, boom, boom, whoa mama. It hit the house. It hit the house. It whizzed right by me," the woman said. "It literally, it whizzed by my face. I felt the air on my right side. I think we found the hole on the porch where it went through the screen."

It was a frightening start to the New Year for the victim of celebratory gunfire.

"It was like do we live in Iraq now," the woman said.

Still shaken hours after nearly being struck by a stray bullet on her front porch early Monday, she asked FOX 5 News not to use her name or show her face.

"Some idiot down here has got a gun. He unloaded about a hundred rounds earlier," the woman said on the recording.

The Lithia Springs woman recorded the barrage of gunfire that began late Sunday and carried over into Monday as armed revelers rang in the New Year by firing their weapons into the air.

Neighbor Stephanee Godfrey told her frightened kids the gunshots were fireworks.

"The kids actually woke up. They were waking up screaming, crying. It scared them," said Godfrey.

"It sounded like assault weapons. I don't know but it sounded pretty heavy," neighbor Dale Baughsaid.

Residents are just thankful no one was struck by a stray bullet.

"It happens all the time, especially with kids it's more dangerous," said Godfrey.

"I don't understand why people do it," said neighbor Kit Duong.

While firing off guns is as common a practice as setting off fireworks for some, concerned residents wish those who like to fire their weapons would think twice, knowing they're putting lives at risk.

"In 2018 I try to focus on the positive. I wasn't hit but they have so many options now we have fireworks displays you know they could go do something like that. There is no reason to be shooting guns," the woman said.