Police: Firing guns to celebrate the new year is a crime

Firing guns to ring in 2022 could mean criminal prosecution, so don't do it, Indio police said today.

"Discharging firearms in the air endangers the public's safety,'' the Indio Police Department said in a statement. "Remember, what goes up will ultimately come down.''

The agency posted the warning along with messages exhorting residents not to get behind the wheel and drive after boozing at a New Year's party, or engage in igniting fireworks, which is illegal under the city code, to mark the start of 2022.  

Indio police, like the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and other agencies countywide, take a ``zero tolerance'' position on celebratory gunfire.   

Under California Penal Code section 246.3, an individual convicted of shooting a gun recklessly can be sentenced to jail or prison if it's determined he or she used the firearm in a manner that "could result in injury or death to a person.''  

Any Indio or county resident who witnesses celebratory gunfire was urged to immediately call 911 and report it.