Shell casings litter Atlanta park after New Year's Eve celebratory gunfire

ATLANTA — Neighbors in several Atlanta neighborhoods report hearing more celebratory New Year's Eve gunfire this year than in years past.  One neighbor was able to catch some of the shooters on video in a Southeast Atlanta park.

The video showed one man shooting what looks like a fully automatic weapon into the air.

"It sounded like we were in a war zone," said the neighbor who asked us not to identify her.  "Honestly, it was right across the street in a park."

Channel 2 Action News went to Four Corners Park in the Peoplestown neighborhood and found dozens and dozens of different kinds of shell casings scattered around the ground.  Celebratory gunfire is a crime, but Atlanta police were unable to provide us with the number of 911 calls they got that night complaining of shots fired.

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“I think it’s pretty dangerous,” said Gracie Hamlin, a Peoplestown resident and community activist.  “We all understand, if it goes up, it comes back down.”

Hamlin wants to the city to do a better job educating citizens to the dangers of celebratory gunfire.

"There's no way an officer should have to walk up on this," Hamlin said.  "I think the city instead needs a campaign where they educate people about the different things to be considered before you shoot your gun."

Cox Media Group