New Year's Eve celebrations in St. Petersburg took a frightening turn for an Orlando man when a stray bullet struck him in his lap.

  • Police say Orlando man struck in lap with stray bullet
  • Shot was fired New Yeary's Eve on Beach Drive NE
  • First-degree misdemeanor if culprit is caught

Dan Casper recalled Thursday what happened to his friend.

"The next thing you know, James (Higginbotham) bends over, and we thought that he was having a stomach cramp or something," Casper said. "Then he stands back up and holds his hand up and says, 'I've been shot.' He had blood on his hand."

Higginbotham's injuries are minor, but investigators say the case is not.

"In this case, what's particularly notable is that it was a rifle bullet," St. Petersburg Police spokeswoman Yolanda Fernandez said. "That's kind of a serious discharge. Somebody decided to fire a rifle into the air in St. Petersburg somewhere."

The incident happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday in front of the Cassis American Brasserie restaurant on Beach Drive NE.

Investigators say the shot could have been fired from a mile away. That could make tracking down the gunman difficult.

It is a first-degree misdemeanor to fire a weapon without cause in the city limits.