EL MIRAGE, AZ — Some people who found a gun to ring in 2026 started the new year under arrest. In Arizona, Shannon’s Law makes it illegal to shoot in cities and towns. It’s named after 14-year-old Shannon Smith, who died after being hit by a stray bullet at her Phoenix home in 1999.
One El Mirage man now faces felony charges under Shannon’s Law for allegedly firing a gun into the air on New Year’s Eve.
For George and Connie Lopez, a quiet New Year’s Eve at home turned terrifying.
"We're just enjoying our backyard, you know, a part from our New Year's, and all sudden we just heard a bunch of bullets,” Connie Lopez said. “We were scared because they got to come down.”
El Mirage Police say their gunshot detection system alerted officers to shots fired on North El Frio Street around 7:30 p.m.
Connie Lopez says when she heard shots coming from the house next door, she started praying.
"I love my husband. You know, we've been married for 40 years,” Lopez said. "It's my life, and it's my husband's life.”
The couple says officers came to their home first.
"They put the spotlight here in my house. And I just came out with my hands up, and I said, you know, it wasn't me!” George Lopez said.
Police then went to the house next door, where they found eight spent casings in the yard. With a search warrant, they recovered multiple firearms and 500 rounds of ammunition.
Police arrested 69-year-old Guadalupe Alvarez for unlawfully discharging a firearm, violating Shannon’s Law. A 62-year-old woman was also arrested for failing to identify herself during the investigation.
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Police departments across the Valley report multiple shots-fired calls on New Year’s Eve. Scottsdale had three calls. Goodyear had three, including one where police impounded a rifle. Apache Junction and Buckeye Police each made an arrest for unlawful shooting.
Police remind people to only shoot at designated ranges, saying firing into the air can be deadly.
The Lopezes say they stay home on New Year’s Eve to avoid trouble.
"We stay home because there's a lot of crazy stuff going on out there,” George Lopez said. "I told my wife, you know what, let's just stay home. Let's just stay home and relax. And then it happened here. Like, whoa.”
"Like right next door, the scariest part ever,” Connie Lopez added.
The couple says 2026 now means a little bit more to them, starting the year together and unharmed.
