Campaign materials will remind residents that random, celebratory gunfire is illegal and firearms must be stored safely.
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In light of growing safety concerns regarding random gunfire, the city of Fort Worth launched an awareness campaign this week to remind residents random and celebratory gunfire is illegal and to encourage responsible gun ownership.
Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia expressed concern in the news release accompanying the campaign’s announcement that both illegal gunfire and unsecured firearms are contributing to violent crime at the expense of innocent people.
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Between 2024 and 2025, the city reported seeing a 28% increase in arrests related to illegal gunfire.
A 66-year old Fort Worth woman died in February after a stray bullet came through her front door. In March, a man was arrested in Fort Worth for firing 30 rounds on a neighborhood street.
KXAS-TV (NBC 5) recently reported on the growing concerns regarding random gunfire of residents in Sycamore Landing, a Fort Worth neighborhood. On May 6, random gunfire struck the home of a family of four. No one was injured.
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In 2026, Gun Violence Archive has verified reports of 460 unintentional shootings so far. In 2025, the archive tracked 1,339.
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What is illegal gunfire?
In campaign materials, the city clarifies illegal gunfire is celebratory gunfire, target practice within neighborhoods, “reckless shooting” within Fort Worth and firing a gun in “streets, parks or residential areas.”
In Fort Worth, unlawful discharge of a firearm is a Class A misdemeanor, leading to up to $4,000 in fines and one year in jail. Participating in illegal gunfire can also lead to a permanent felony record. It is illegal to discharge a firearm within the city limits aside from some exceptions including for self-defense and at authorized shooting ranges.
This is consistent with Texas state law, which maintains that reckless discharge of a firearm in a city with a population over 100,000 is a Class A misdemeanor on both public and private property.
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Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker noted in the release that if a stray bullet causes death, an arrest and murder charges can follow.
Celebratory gunfire is described by the city as shooting a gun into the air and is particularly common surrounding the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve and major sporting events. The campaign materials emphasize that when bullets fall back down, they can cause property damage, travel up to three miles and injure or kill people.
For example, last year, the Dallas police received 759 calls related to celebratory gunfire on New Year’s Eve, a decrease from 865 the previous year. Fort Worth received 70.
Campaign materials also encourage Fort Worth residents to call 911 if they hear gunshots.
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What does the campaign entail?
The city released a collection of social media content and materials including flyers and door hangers to spread the campaign’s messaging of “Pull the trigger. Pay the price” and “STOP illegal gunfire.”
The target audience is young adults and parents, as well as individuals at high risk of firearm activity. The city reported the average age range for illegal gunfire suspects is 16-23.
The city plans to spend $27,619 until September, and $69,241 from October to January on the initiative for Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, newspaper and bus shelter ads as well as signs, stickers and door hangers.
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Campaign materials will be pushed on the city of Fort Worth’s social media pages, with targeted messaging leading up to Independence Day, New Year’s Eve and major sporting events.
Flyers will be posted near vacant lots and areas where celebratory gunfire has been previously reported. Door hangers will be distributed in target neighborhoods.
Youth programs through the YMCA, libraries, PTA groups, parent groups and after-school programs will receive materials.
Students will be encouraged to be aware of how celebratory gunfire could impact their future as well as to report any guns they see on school property.
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In Fort Worth, the Project Safe Neighborhood Zone makes up the priority area for violent crime reduction. This area includes parts of districts five, eight, nine and 11, such as the Historic Southside and Neareast Side of the city, which the plan notes are the target areas for this campaign.
Spanish translations of all materials will be distributed.
What other actions are being taken in North Texas to combat random gunfire?
In February, the Dallas police announced a plan to curb random gunfire with the help of gunshot-detection sensors and surveillance cameras.