Granberry added that even if no one is hurt, firing a weapon during celebrations is still a crime.<\/p>\n
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2014 With New Year celebrations just one day away, the parents of Amethyst Silva are once again urging the public to put guns away and celebrate safely.<\/p>\n
Amethyst was 11 years old when she was struck and killed by a stray bullet just after midnight on New Year\u2019s Day in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u00a0She had been outside enjoying fireworks with her family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Officers were called to the Allure Apartments that morning and learned the young girl had been driven to a local hospital by family members, where she later died from her injuries.<\/p>\n
Since the tragic loss, Amethyst\u2019s parents have worked to keep their daughter\u2019s memory alive by honoring the things she loved most. Those included Starbucks treats, watching the Netflix series Stranger Things, and taking trips with her dad to Joe\u2019s Crab Shack.<\/p>\n
Her mother, Melinda Cruz, says the pain of losing Amethyst never goes away, and holidays like Halloween which was their favorite\u2014are especially difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Year\u2019s Eve into the new year is supposed to be a good time with family and friends,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cYou should be able to be outside enjoying fireworks, especially the kids, not worrying about \u2018is it gonna be my turn.\u2019 You shouldn\u2019t have to live like that. Nobody should.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cruz says even hearing fireworks can still bring back overwhelming fear and trauma years later.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am barely getting used to fireworks and not jumping out of my skin, not crawling into a little ball at the end of my bed crying my eyes out,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s just so scary. It brings back all those traumatic memories, and it\u2019s not easy at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
She continues to ask the public to think twice before pulling out a firearm to ring in the new year.<\/p>\n
Two men connected to the shooting, Deonis Poindexter and Jacob Leal, were arrested the day after Amethyst\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
Both face charges of deadly conduct and criminally negligent homicide. A pre-trial hearing for Poindexter is scheduled for January, while Leal\u2019s hearing is set for February.<\/p>\n
Nueces County District Attorney Jimmy Granberry says celebratory gunfire is dangerous and will be prosecuted.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor God\u2019s sake, leave your guns alone, no celebratory gunfire,\u201d Granberry said. \u201cWe do not want anybody\u2019s new year to turn into a tragedy. Shooting your gun in the air is the height of foolishness, and it will be prosecuted by this district attorney\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n
Granberry added that even if no one is hurt, firing a weapon during celebrations is still a crime.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are caught firing a weapon, even without hurting anyone, it is a Class A misdemeanor and could land you in jail for up to a year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As the New Year approaches, Amethyst\u2019s family hopes her story serves as a powerful reminder that one reckless act can forever change a family\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
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