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Campaign materials will remind residents that random, celebratory gunfire is illegal and firearms must be stored safely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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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\u00a0 random and celebratory gunfire is illegal\u00a0and to encourage responsible gun ownership.<\/p>\n
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Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia expressed concern in the news release accompanying the campaign\u2019s announcement that both illegal gunfire and unsecured firearms are contributing to violent crime at the expense of innocent people.<\/p>\n
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Between 2024 and 2025, the city reported seeing a 28% increase in arrests related to illegal gunfire.<\/p>\n
A 66-year old Fort Worth woman died<\/a> in February after a stray bullet came through her front door. In March, a\u00a0man was arrested<\/a> in Fort Worth for firing 30 rounds on a neighborhood street.<\/p>\n KXAS-TV (NBC 5) recently reported<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n In 2026, Gun Violence Archive has verified reports of 460 unintentional shootings so far. In 2025, the archive tracked 1,339.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n What is illegal gunfire? <\/b><\/p>\n In campaign materials, the city clarifies illegal gunfire is celebratory gunfire, target practice within neighborhoods, \u201creckless shooting\u201d within Fort Worth and firing a gun in \u201cstreets, parks or residential areas.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0It is illegal to discharge a firearm within the city limits aside from some exceptions including for self-defense and at authorized shooting ranges.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker noted in the release that if a stray bullet causes death, an arrest and murder charges can follow.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n