A Texas politician began his 2017 by being shot in the head by a bullet meant to ring in the new year.
It's an occurrence that is rare, but it's deadly enough that authorities in Brevard County and elsewhere are warning people against firing their guns to start 2018.
"It happens once in a while," Palm Bay police spokesman Lt. Mike Bandish said. "We don't want residents doing something stupid."
More: New Year's Eve 2017 events in Brevard
Bullets fired into the air can fall with enough force — more than 200 feet per second — to cause injury or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
In Texas, the official who was struck was State Rep. Armando "Mando" Martinez of Weslaco. Authorities said it was a stray bullet from celebratory gun fire. Martinez made a full recovery, according to reports.
In Fellsmere, Police Chief Keith Touchberry said what had been a frequent problem every New Year's Eve has significantly decreased in the five years he's been with the city.
"I've lived here since 2002, so I'd heard about the issues" with celebratory gunfire, he said. "People are a little more responsible now. We have more issues with fireworks than guns."
Authorities in Brevard County could not recall anyone injured in recent years by New Year's Eve celebratory gunfire. However, a celebration mixed with guns preceded a death last summer. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said a Merritt Island man had been drinking, smoking marijuana and firing his gun into the air at a Fourth of July party.
When he returned home, Roger Petrocelli was unloading the gun and it fired, striking and killing his 35-year-old wife, Stacy Petrocelli, the Sheriff's Office said. The husband was charged with manslaughter in September. He has not gone to trial.
Lamaur Stancil is a breaking news reporter for Florida Today and TCPalm.com. He can be reached at 321-242-3662 or 321-987-7179. E-mail him at lamaur.stancil@tcpalm.com. Follow him on Twitter at @TCPalmLStancil.
More: New Year's Eve 2017 events in Brevard
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