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NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:23 pm
by Keith B
A random bullet apparently fired in celebration of New Years crashed through the roof of a Pleasant Grove (Mesquite) area home. I have a friend who lives in Garland and he used to record the gunfire on NYE every year. The shooting would last a good 35 - 45 minutes from about 23:55 to 00:30 or longer. You could hear fireworks also, but there is no mistaking the sound of gunfire. Can't believe the stupidity of so many gun owners. :banghead:

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/bullet ... allas-home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:28 pm
by stroguy
You're nuts. NY has stringent gun laws.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:31 pm
by 74novaman
stroguy wrote:You're nuts. NY has stringent gun laws.
I know you're trying to make a joke about NY gun laws...

But reread what he wrote.

This happened in Texas on NYE (new years eve)

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:33 pm
by stroguy
Ooops, my bad. New Year sarcasm I haven't mastered yet.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:35 pm
by C-dub
I remember an LEO friend of mine telling me several years ago that whenever possible officers he knew would try to just park their cars underneath a bridge from a few minutes before midnight to several minutes after.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:38 pm
by rx7fan
I always wondered if this was less of a problem where it's legal and easy to buy firecrackers.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:46 pm
by 74novaman
rx7fan wrote:I always wondered if this was less of a problem where it's legal and easy to buy firecrackers.
Interesting question.

Youre not supposed to even shoot fireworks off in my city limits, but my neighbors didn't seem to care. Didn't hear any gun fire this year....but didn't go outside to watch the fireworks just in case. It'd be just my luck to get hit by a stray bullet. :grumble

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:52 pm
by Heartland Patriot
I still keep seeing conflicting arguments on how much injury bullets fired "up into the air" can cause. Some folks are saying, "Duh, bullet falling out of the sky = hurt person on ground". Others are saying that the physics says differently unless the bullet is fired at a more "normal" angle. Anyone on here have a SIMPLE way of showing this. I'm okay with basic physics CONCEPTS and with basic math, but I've not taken any college level physics, so I don't know much beyond Force=Mass x Acceleration...that sort of thing.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:27 pm
by C-dub
I remembered this story from several years ago. It is the last story on this page.
JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee (AP) -- A bullet fired in the air during a Ku Klux Klan initiation ceremony came down and struck a participant in the head, critically injuring him, authorities said.
Gregory Allen Freeman, 45, was charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment in the Saturday night incident that wounded Jeffery S. Murr, 24.
About 10 people, including two children, had gathered for the ceremony. The man who was being initiated was blindfolded, tied with a noose to a tree and shot with paintball guns as Freeman fired a pistol in the air to provide the sound of real gunfire, Sheriff Fred Phillips said.
A bullet struck Murr on the top of the head and exited at the bottom of his skull, authorities said.
Freeman fled the ceremony but was arrested near his home, authorities said. He was released on $7,500 bail.
http://www.bobtuley.com/shooting_straight_up.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:36 pm
by Griz44
Mythbusters episode 50. Bullets fired straight up into the air do not have enough force on falling to kill someone. If they are fired at an angle they will travel less distance and retain enough force to cause lethal injury, but no specific angle was given.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:59 pm
by C-dub
Griz44 wrote:Mythbusters episode 50. Bullets fired straight up into the air do not have enough force on falling to kill someone. If they are fired at an angle they will travel less distance and retain enough force to cause lethal injury, but no specific angle was given.
There is evidence to the contrary.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:11 pm
by JJVP
Heartland Patriot wrote:I still keep seeing conflicting arguments on how much injury bullets fired "up into the air" can cause. Some folks are saying, "Duh, bullet falling out of the sky = hurt person on ground". Others are saying that the physics says differently unless the bullet is fired at a more "normal" angle. Anyone on here have a SIMPLE way of showing this. I'm okay with basic physics CONCEPTS and with basic math, but I've not taken any college level physics, so I don't know much beyond Force=Mass x Acceleration...that sort of thing.
Here is what can happen when you fire a bullet "up in the air". :nono:


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/ ... R420111220" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:28 pm
by jimlongley
A bullet fired straight up will reach zero velocity and start a return due to gravitational acceleration. The falling projectile will reach a terminal velocity, which will be a combination of gravitational acceleration and air resistance. In a vacuum, theorhetically, the falling object would eventually approach its initial velocity, but air resistance will prevent that. Mythbusters made an interesting, ala Hatcher, test, and fundamentally agreed with Hatcher, projectiles returning to the ground can rise to 500 ft/sec, but not much more, and that for .50, with .30 coming in closer to 300 ft/sec. 200 fps is enough to cause severe injury.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:44 pm
by gwashorn
Well, when the K-mart in Texas City was converted to the BP TCO offices and shortly after opening it up we had a roof leak. Found a bullet penetrated half way through the roof to cause the leak. Only way to hit that roof is a falling bullet. If it can penetrate that roof enough to bury its self and cause a leak, even my hard head I do not believe will not deflect it enough. Especially a younger person as a child. Not worth the pain, injury or worse to do it and then say but it really doesn't do enough damage to care. I care. Please Don't do it.

Re: NYE Bullet Crashes through Roof

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:49 pm
by SRH78
Along with other variables, caliber and bullet weight also make a big difference. There is a huge difference between a bullet from a 17 HMR and one from a 44 Mag coming back down. The bottom line is only a complete fool would fire into the air, especially in a populated area.