ST. LOUIS — Celebratory gunfire ringing in the new year is an unfortunate tradition in the St. Louis area, and 2024 was no different.
Despite pleas from city leaders and community organizations before New Year's Eve, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department still received hundreds of calls or "ShotSpotter" activations Sunday night into early Monday.
On Tuesday, the department released statistics for the various shots fired calls the department received from 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 through 2 a.m. on Jan. 1 and how that number compared to previous years.
- 6 p.m. on 12/31/23 through 2 a.m. on 1/1/24 - 501
- 6 p.m. on 12/31/22 through 2 a.m. on 1/1/23 – 324
- 6 p.m. on 12/31/21 through 2 a.m. on 1/1/22 – 684
- 6 p.m. 12/31/20 through 2 a.m. on 1/1/21 – 542
- 6 p.m. 12/31/19 through 2 a.m. on 1/1/20 – 544
It is suspected that some of the celebratory gunfire resulted in damage and near misses in the St. Louis area.
St. Louis County resident William Mason said his car's windshield was damaged by a 9 mm bullet while he and his wife were ringing in the new year at River City Casino.
"We were both happy we won money and we were ahead money-wise," Mason said. "Around 1:30 we came outside and my wife got on her side and she said, 'Your windshield is cracked.' I went, 'Oh my God, it's a bullet' and I was more shocked than she was. I think it was from celebrating and shooting guns. When I was at the casino, I heard a lot of gunfire."