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Mayor: Please No Celebratory Gunfire On July 4th

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MIAMI(CBSMiami) - Fourth of July is all about barbecues, picnics, family time and of course fireworks.

It is not the time, however, to bring out a gun and fire it in the air to celebrate.

On Thursday Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson and Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado urged the community to leave their guns at home on the night of July 4th.

"You do not have to shoot bullets into the air because we all know what the saying is, what goes up must come down" said Edmonson.

Not only is it dangerous to fire into the air because stray bullets can kill, it's also a crime.

The "One Bullet Kills The Party" campaign is an annual event, but it's a message worth repeating. In recent years in the City of Miami, stray bullets have not been a problem. City officials believe this campaign is the reason why. But they don't want that record to be ruined by an injury or death this holiday weekend.

"We want you to have a good time, we want you to celebrate but we want you to choose another way to celebrate," said Miami police Major Dennis Jackson.

Thursday plea for peaceful celebration happened at Sherdavia Jenkins Peace Park. The park was named in memory of a 9-year old Miami girl who was killed by a stray bullet outside of Liberty City home in 2006.

"We do not need more children killed by stray bullets," said Regalado.

Police have asked for the community's help to keep their neighborhoods safe.

"If you hear any celebratory gunfire next to you or if you heard someone is going to do something call 911 and we'll be more than happy to assist you, to ensure that we enjoy the holiday and we enjoy it in a safe and positive way," said Jackson.

Two years ago a woman in Ft. Lauderdale was hit by a stray bullet.

April Johnson was sitting on the sidewalk in front of her brother's home at 216 NW 28th Avenue, with her one year old nephew on her lap, she felt a sharp pain in her left thigh. Miraculously her nephew escaped harm.

Johnson said the bullet came out of thin air. She doesn't believe anyone on the street where she sitting, fired the gun.

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