Florida woman hit by falling bullet from celebratory New Year's gunshots

A Delray Beach woman sitting and taking in the New Year just before midnight last night felt a sudden pain just above her left knee.

It was a bullet. She was hospitalized and later released. Delray Beach Police, who haven't identified the woman, say it was likely celebratory gunfire to ring in the New Year.

Being struck by a bullet falling from above is, unfortunately, not as uncommon as it is terrifying. Though the CDC doesn't track "celebratory shooing" deaths, people are accidentally injured or killed as a result of holiday celebratory shooting into the air every year.

Florida House minority leader Kionne McGhee's uncle was shot dead by a stray bullet while mowing his lawn on Christmas Eve. McGhee, whose district includes central Miami-Dade County, called the shooting death "another senseless gun-related death during holidays of peace and love."

Two people were hit by stray falling bullets in Delray Beach in 2005. Before festivities for the 2020 turn, Delray Beach police warned residents against celebratory gunfire.

Stay on top of Orlando news and views. Sign up for our weekly Headlines newsletter.