Local law enforcement agencies are urging residents to put their guns away when they celebrate the Fourth of July.
The St. Petersburg Police Department released a public service announcement reminding people of the dangers of celebratory gunfire.
"What goes up must come down," St. Petersburg police officers say in the announcement. "If your bullet hurts someone or damages property, you will be held accountable."
It's a message the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is also promoting.
"There are criminal penalties associated with celebratory gunfire," Corp. Andrew Baxter said. "But it's more important to focus on the dangers and the very easy prevention."
Diego Duran, 15, knows first-hand about the dangers ouf celebratory gunfire. Duran was standing outside of his Ruskin home when he was shot in the head from more than a mile away during New Year's celebration in 2012.
"When I went to turn him around I could see the shiny blood and we instantly took him toward the light to see what was going on," mother Sandy Duran said. "We didn't know how far a bullet can travel. I was unaware of that, so we began educating ourselves."
What Sandy Duran learned led her to launch the non-profit Bullet Free Sky, which aims to educate the public about the dangers of errant gunfire. Bullet Free Sky is partnering with Shooters World in Tampa and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in an attempt to curb errant gunfire.
Bruce Kitzis, the general manager of Shooters World, said a bullet fired into the air can travel up to three miles, at speeds that are fast enough to cause serious injuries or worse.
The most simple rule about celebratory gunfire is that if a bullet is shot in the air, it will fall back to earth. The odds of the bullet hitting someone or something are very high, especially on a holiday where thousands will be outside celebrating.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is asking members of the public to report if they see or hear anyone shooting tuns into the air.