BRADENTON -- The Bradenton Police Department has a message for anyone thinking about celebrating the new year Monday night by shooting a gun into the air: Don't.

"It's a crime, and potentially deadly, especially in a densely populated area like the city of Bradenton," said police spokesman Capt. Warren Merriman. "When a bullet is fired in the air, it must come down, and when it does, it descends at a velocity great enough to cause serious injury or death to an innocent person."

Police asked that residents report if they hear gunshots, even if they do not know where it's coming from.

The police department's non-emergency number is 941-932-9300.