Authorities Warn Residents: Do NOT Fire Guns To Celebrate New Year
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Law enforcement officials in Philadelphia are once again warning residents to not fire their guns into the air to celebrate the New Year. Joe Jaskolka has a bullet lodged in his head.
He's paralyzed on the right side of his body and can't use the left side of his vocal chords.
"Since I was shot, it's turned into quite a struggle," Jaskolka told KYW Newsradio.
Jaskolka was hit by celebratory gunfire when he was 11 years old on New Year's Eve 1998.
33 surgeries to his brain, 21 operations on his eyes and the person who fired that gun has never been caught.
And so District Attorney Seth Williams says anyone caught firing a gun will be charged with recklessly endangering another person.
"If someone is struck they'll be charged with aggravated assault, attempted murder or maybe even homicide," Williams stated.
And if residents don't hear what Williams says, Jaskolka hopes they listen to him.
"I'm here for the fight to try to get it to stop," he said.