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Video showing apparent celebratory gun fire sparks concern from police, residents in metro Detroit

SPEAK UP: Mental illness and gun safety
Posted at 4:59 PM, Jan 02, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-03 12:49:26-05

UPDATE: Detroit police say they have identified 14 people in connection to the celebratory gunfire.

It happened in the 9000 block of Warwick on the city's west side, and appeared to be connected to a west side gang.

Of the 14 people, seven were on parole and two were wearing a tether.

Original story below
Detroit police are looking into a video posted to social media that appears to show a mass of celebratory gun fire around New Year's Eve.

It's unclear where exactly in metro Detroit the video was taken.

The video, which has been shared and viewed thousands of times, shows more than a dozen people firing continuous shots into the air while people cheer in the background.

"I was aware that it was New Year’s Eve and people do that kind of crazy stuff," said a man who lives off of 7 Mile on the city's east side.

He said he heard around 300 shots starting at 10pm New Year's Eve and lasting into the morning.

He wasn't sure exactly where the gunfire was coming from.

"It sounded like it was about a five block distance from either way," he told 7 Action News.

Ortagus Jackson was shocked when he saw the video.

"My heart dropped," he said. "Anybody who has a gun, it’s a danger if you use it incorrectly.”

Detroit Police Chief James Craig is expected to speak on the dangers of celebratory gun fire in general on Friday.

Firing a gun into the air could result in a charge of unlawful discharge of a weapon. If property is damaged or a person is injured, an individual could face additional charges including assault.

This is a developing story.