Stray bullet falls through roof during Fort Worth church service

FORT WORTH, Texas - A stray bullet fired during a New Year’s Eve celebration interrupted a church service in Fort Worth.

Video captured the moments after the bullet came through the roof at The Ramp Church. It made a hole through the church’s metal roof and ceiling tiles and fell onto the stage.

“Had it been one tile up and one tile back, I don’t think we would have been bringing in the New Year,” said Pastor Evan Risher. “Only by God’s grace, it split the drummer and I. I mean, it went right between us.”

Pastor Risher was able to pick up the bullet and show his congregation just how close it came to hurting him or someone else. He made it part of his sermon.

“I’m not going to lie to you. I was pretty scared. I tried to hold it together for the sake of the congregants that came last night,” he said. “To shoot carelessly in the air like that with lives at state… we had children afraid.”

Off-duty officers and others provided security at the church but there is no way to protect against a bullet fired into the air. One person’s celebration could have become someone else’s tragedy.

“This church or churches anywhere are trying to be a safe place to bring in the New Year in good spirits. For someone to be careless and not consider the lives of others, it’s just, you know, sad,” Risher said.

Police believe the stray bullet came from a 40 caliber weapon. They are investigating the source.

Officers told Pastor Risher they got a lot of calls about gunfire in the air around midnight.