Several people spent the first day of 2012 in jail after allegedly ringing in the New Year with gunfire.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, District Attorney Seth Williams and shooting victim Joe Jaskolka warned against the practice during a press conference on Friday. Police arrested nearly 20 people on Sunday for allegedly failing to heed that warning.
A total of nine people were arrested in eight celebratory shooting incidents, according to investigators.
- At 12:01 a.m., Anthony Walker, 27, was spotted by police on the 2300 block of West Indiana Avenue firing his gun in the air while driving, according to investigators.
- Also at 12:01 a.m., police say Robert Green, 25, was spotted on the 500 block of East Cornwall Street firing a gun in the air.
- Around 12:04 a.m. officers were on patrol on 32nd and Huntingdon when investigators say they saw Rickadmus Abrokwa, 36, standing in front of his home firing a gun in the air and then pointing it at police.
- Around 12:05 a.m., police arrested Jamal Dutton, 24, on the 1200 block of Fairmount Avenue for allegedly firing a shotgun out of his window.
- At 12:16 a.m., police say William Jenkins, 21 and Tony Wallace, 34, were spotted shooting their guns in the air on the 2700 block of Seltzer Street.
- At 12:18 a.m., police say they responded to a report of shots fired on the 500 block of Redfield Street. When police arrived, they say they heard the sound of gunfire coming from inside a home. Investigators say police went into the home and were met by Kevin Ward, 57. Ward allegedly stated “I was shooting the tree, I was celebrating. I do this every year.”
- At 1:57 a.m., police say Nariman Akhmerov, 38, was spotted sticking his arm out of the window of his 2nd floor apartment firing his gun in the air.
- At 2:45 a.m., police say Steven Guilford, 37, was found on the 400 block of Ramsey Street holding a gun over his head and firing it into the air.
All nine men were arrested for Violations of the Uniform Firearms Act and other related offenses. Police also say ten additional people were arrested for Violations of the Uniform Firearms Act.
Back on December 31, 1988, Joe Jaskolka was struck in the head by a so-called “celebratory bullet" while walking along Fernon Street near Second Street in South Philadelphia. Jaskolka, who is now 24-years-old, was only 11 during the time of the incident. He is currently paralyzed on the right side of his body and face and also lost the use of his vocal chords on the left side. His shooter was never caught. Jaskolka regularly attends an annual press conference warning against New Year’s Eve gunfire, including the latest on Friday. In spite of the yearly warnings, celebratory gunfire continues to be an issue.
“Every year we have this message and every year we have people that go out and continue to fire guns in the air,” said Ramsey. “A bullet goes in the air it will come down somewhere.”
