|
Popular TV show "Mythbusters" addressed this question, and concluded that a bullet shot perfectly straight in the air probably isn't dangerous, because of terminal velocity. However (and this is a big however), firing a gun straight in the air is very difficult. It's far more likely that the bullet will be shot at an angle. These falling bullets can be, and often are, lethal. In January 2006, a Mississippi farmer was paralyzed by a falling bullet. At a 2003 Ku Klux Klan initiation ceremony in Tennessee, a stray bullet
struck a participant "on the top of the head and exited at the bottom of his skull." The Straight Dope agrees that many people have been struck by stray bullets. Between 1985 and 1992, a trauma center in Los Angeles treated 118 people for injuries caused by falling bullets, and 38 of the victims were killed. The International Action Network on Small Arms is doing its best to increase awareness about the dangers of celebratory gunfire. So, to wrap things up, shooting guns in the air is a dangerous and unwise activity. If you're excited and feel the need to make a lot of noise, we recommend you use a
cowbell. It's annoying, but at least there's no threat of injury.
|
