Richmond woman reports nightly 'bombarding' of fireworks in her neighborhood

This week, the Richmond Fire Department held a press conference to remind the public that fireworks were prohibited in the city except for in permitted public displays conducted by professionals.

A FAMILIAR SOUND THIS TIME OFYEAR...SUNDAY, THESKIES WILL LIGHT UP ACROSSCENTRAL VIRGINIA FORINDEPENDENCE DAY...BUT IT SEEMS A LOT OF PEOPLELIKE TO SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS ATHOME NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF YEARIT IS...OR WHAT TIME OFNGHIT.GOOD EVENING, I'M BILLFITZGERALD.I'M CANDACE BURNS.A RICHMOND WOMAN TELLS US -SHE'S FED UP WITH THE NOISE...AND ISTIRED OF THE FREE SHOWS IN HERNEIGHBORHOOD.<JIB TO BAM LIVESO OUR SHANNON LILLY TOOK HERCONCERNS TO POLICE...WHO TELLUS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO REPORTSOMETHING SIMILAR WHERE YOULIVE.IT'S ILLEL GATO SHOOT OFFFIREWORKS HERE IN THE CITY.

BUTCATCHING AND CHARGING SOMEON EISN'T ALWAYS SO STRAIGHTFORWARD.TODAY WE LEARNED IT'S HANDLEDLESS BY POLICE DAN MORE BY THEFIRE DEPARTMENT.IT'S THE SOUND YOU EXPECT TOHEAR..AS THE NATION CELEBRATES 243YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE....BUT A RICHMOND WOMAN 3:39:00IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SO CLOSESAYS SHE'S GETTING A NIGHTLYDISPLAY FROM HER OWN FRONT YARD.5:24 FULL BLOWN FIREWORK SHOW WEDON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO TO THEDIAMOND WE CAN BE RIGHT HERETHIS WOMAN DIDN'T WANT TO BEIDENTIFIED.

BUT REACHED OUT TOCBS 6.

AFTER SHE SAYS SHE'SENDURED TWO MONTHS OF BOMBARDINGFIREWORKS NEARHER HOME IN THE EASTVIEWCOMMUNITY.LOCA TED BETWEENMOSBY AND WHITCOMB COURTS.:54 THEY'VE BEEN LIKE CANNONSANDTHEY'VE BEEN LIKE THAT EVERSINCEMAY THE 1ST..MEMORIAL DAYWEEKEND IT SOUNDED LIKE A WARZONE OVER HEREAND JUST THE NIGHT BEFORE.

15:36LAST NIGHT IT WAS SIX TIMES.SHE AWOKE TO THIS .

RECORDINGTHE NOISE ON HER CELLPHONE.3:21:18 SEE YOU CAN HEAR EMSEE...AND CALLING POLICE..LIKE SHESAYS SHE HAS DOZENS OF TIMES.1:52 I'VE SENT AN EMAIL TO MYCOUNCIL WOMAN A NDTHEN THELIEUTENANT IN THE 25TH PRECINCTTHE CITY'S ORDINANCE PROHIBITSFIREWORK INSRICHMOND..EXCEPT INPERMITTED PUBLIC DISPLAYS.

BUTIN AN EMAIL SENT FROMRICHMOND POLICE LT.MARK SIMS TOTHIS EASTVIEW COMMUNITY WOMAN.HE SAYS THE FIREWORKSCODE ISN'T CRIMINALLYENOFRCEABLE BY THE POLICEDEPARTMENT PER THE CITYATTORNEY'S OFFICE.INSTEAD..POLICE CALL ON THE FIREMARSHALL TO HANDLE THE CHARGES.10:59:55 THERE IS A PENALTY FORHAVING FIREWORKS IN YOURPOSSESSION AND THAT PENALTYAS CURRENTLY STANDS IS A 25HUNDRED DOLLAR FINE AND UP TOONE YEAR IN JAIL BATTALIONCHIEF EARL DYER..FIREMARSHALL FOR CITY OF RICHMONDSAYS ANYEON WHO WANTS TO REPORTFIREWORKS IN THEIR AREA..SHOULD REACH OUT TO THE FIREDEPARTMENT SO THY ECANI DSPATCHONE OF THE ASSISTANTFIRE MARSHALLS TO CATCH THEPERPETRATOR IN THE ACT.11:03:08 ONCE WE DO IDENTIFY WHOTHEY ARE .

THAT THEY DO HAVE THEFIREWORKS THEN WE CONFISCATE THEFIREWORKS..AND ON MORETHAN ONE OCCASION WE'VE ISSUEDSUMMONSES FORTHOSE INDIVDUALS TO APPEAR INCOURTTHE WOMAN WE SPOKE TO SAYS SHEPLANS TO REACH OUT TO THEFIRE MARSHALL..AS THE JULY 4 THHOLIDAY INCHES CLOSER.10: I20T'S NOT GOING TO BE APLEASANT HOLIDAY FOR ME BUTTEDTO 10:40 RIGHT NOW IMJUST PUSET ABOUT IT I REALLYDON'T WANT TO BE HERE IN MY OWNHOUSETHE RICHMOND FIRE DEPARTMENTSAYS FIREWORKS CAUSE THOUSANDSOF INJURIES EACH YEAR.AND THEYTELL US..MANY OF THESE INJURIESARE PERMANENT.THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTIONASSOCIATION ALSO REPORTSFIREWORKS START AN AVERAGE O