TULSA-- TULSA – The man, police say, was struck by celebratory gunfire at Freedom Fest says the bullet was lodged into his face for nearly two days.
Branon Vaughn, 35, was hit by the stray bullets at Veteran’s Park on Fourth of July, say police. Vaughn was the second person hit, the first being a 9-year-old boy.
While police continue remind citizens that it's illegal to fire a gun in Tulsa city limits, situations like Monday evening are still occurring.
Vaughn says he’s been at celebrating Independence Day at Freedom Fest for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately, now, the one thing he’ll remember is the searing pain
"I’m shocked personally that it was a round that went through,” Vaughan said.
Vaughan says he was walking down an alley near 18th and Boston with his friends when something from the sky hit him in the face. At first he didn't know what it was but then, he says, that's when his instincts kicked in.
“Of course I reacted, you know, I came to my feet down from my knees and fight or flight, I guess I was fighting. I was wondering who hit me, you know, who threw that, who did it," he said.
Police say firing guns into the air is more common around New Year’s Eve than Independence Day-- but it's simply a matter of physics.
"Because we've all been taught, obviously, bullets don’t have eyes so you're thinking that bullet goes up it has to come down. So, unfortunately, it's going to strike someone whether it's a human being someone's property or animal or what-have-you," said Tulsa police officer Leland Ashley
For Vaughan-- it's an ordeal that's been making him think about his own mortality.
"You know it's good to terms with it and we don't live forever and this is not the way to go out on stupidity, you know. Because I don't want to be stupid and it's not fair to everybody who's supported me, they expect big things out of me still," Vaughan said.
Police have the bullet doctors pulled out of Vaughan’s face. They'll try to determine if it came from the same gun that hit the 9-year-old boy the same night.
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-2677. Callers may remain anonymous.
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