[cajungeo]

Ever see those Affgans firing their guns in the air, and wondered if any one was ever hit, and what would happen?

"In Kuwait after the end of the Gulf War, the Kuwaitis celebrated by firing weapons into the air - and 20 Kuwaitis died from falling bullets. In Los Angeles, between the years 1985 - 1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries. 38 of them died. Practically all of the injuries were due to happy holiday weekend revellers."

"Most people who have been hit by bullets falling out of the sky get hit on their upper back, the top of their head, or their shoulders. "

There was a little Q&A article in Sooting Illustrated on this subject.

Some more links: http://www.loadammo.com/Topics/March01.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/homework/s95523.htm

 

[Sgt Shellback]

Back in my Navy Days I was stationed on Guam. The Islanders would celebrate New Years and Liberation day by firing bursts into the air.

I never heard of any personal injuries but when doing FOD walk downs the next day we'd always find several spent rounds on the flight line. I do remember one occurance of an aircraft being hit while parked on the ramp.

FOD walk downs, for those who don't know, are a daily line up across the runway or ramp where we would slowly walk and pick up anything that could be sucked into a jet engine and cause damage.

 

[Ivanimal]

I went to a friends house for New Years Eve in the hills outside of Oakland CA, At midnight a barrage of automatic and single gunfire started from various areas of the lowlands. I immediately went inside and down to the basement with my family. The other people in the house were calling me a sissy and such, as they watched the fireworks, my family and I had no problem with that as long as we were safe. The next day there were reports of 2 children and 1 adult hit with stray bullets in the Oakland hills. My buddy went out and surveyed his deck and found 2 bullet holes. I dont believe in luck.


Every time I see those films of people firing weapons into the air in celebration. I just want to scream.:usa:

 

[djskit]

Ever see that footage of Saddam firing the rifle in the air?
Notice that its at an angle over the crowd. He may be crazy but he's not stupid.

I'll second that Ivan - I went to college near "the hood" and lived to far away from from capus on year. Got sick over new years and stayed in bed and awoke to WWIII at midnight. As I was on the top floor I went down to the parking garage to wait it out.
A little girl down the street got struck in the thigh as she was sitting out on the porch (yes at midnight, it was the 'hood!)