Tulsa Police, Stray-Bullet Victim Beg Caution For Holiday Weekend

A Tulsa man shot in the face has a warning for people heading into the Fourth of July weekend.

It's been nearly a year since a bullet fell from the sky injuring two people who were leaving Freedom Fest.

Branon Vaughan was crossing the street near 8th and Boston. 

At the time, the pain was so bad he said he thought someone hit him with a bat. 

Eventually he realized he had a bullet lodged in his face.

The bullet fell from the sky, entered near his eye and slipped through the tissue in his cheek.

"It seems like it's been longer, but I guess the resiliency of my family, the way we were raised," Vaughan said. 

A day of celebrating Independence Day ended in what he calls a freak accident. 

He says aside from a brief stint on not being able to open his mouth all the way, he didn't have any complications.

"It really is a miracle and I believe in miracles. And I have that faith," Vaughan said.

This is a story with a happy ending. But that's not always the case. 

Sometimes falling bullets don't just cause damage. They kill.

"You're playing Russian roulette with someone else's life and you're playing Russian roulette on your life," said Tulsa Police Sgt. Shane Tuell. 

It's a common saying: What comes up, must come down, and if it's a bullet, damage of some sort is gonna happen, Tuell said.

"You don't know if it's going to come straight down on you or someone that you know or goes down on a complete stranger," he said.

With many fireworks being set off, depending on distance, it may be hard to determine if it's gun or not. 

That's why police need the public to report gunfire.

As for Vaughan, he hopes his story serves as inspiration and a reminder to use common sense.

"Hey buy fireworks if you want to hear some explosions," Vaughan.

Police say if they track a falling bullet back to you, you could face serious charges.

They also say, incidents like this are rare so do not fear. Still go out and enjoy yourself.