Local authorities: Fireworks calls down over years’ past

Was that fireworks or a gunshot? Any time around July 4, the answer is dubious until law enforcement heads out and investigates.

For the Tuscaloosa Police Department, that means 21 calls involving incidents with fireworks and 19 possible shots-fired calls between midnight June 30 and early July 5. Many of those shots-fired calls, said Stephanie Taylor with the Tuscaloosa Police Department, were likely also fireworks.

But there’s good news, Taylor said, as fireworks-related calls were down compared to years past. Odds are good it’s because July 4 this year fell on a Tuesday.

Meanwhile in Northport, Police Assistant Chief Keith Carpenter said the city had a steady number of calls between Friday evening and early Wednesday.

“I think we answered around 295 calls for service,” Carpenter said. “Of that, we had about 26 calls that involved fireworks. We always have those around the holidays, since fireworks are illegal.”

Fireworks are not allowed within the cities of Tuscaloosa or Northport, but are allowed in Tuscaloosa County. WVUA 23 did not get any fireworks-related calls information from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Northport Police also responded to nearly 15 wrecks, Carpenter said, only one of which resulted in injuries.

And as far as arrests, there were seven.

“Some of those were DUI’s and some of those were other miscellaneous things,” said Carpenter.

A representative from DCH Health System said it did not receive an influx of injured patients over the July Fourth weekend.

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