Woman killed by July 4 shot

A 74-YEAR-OLD American woman died after being struck by a bullet which had been fired into the air during celebrations for Independence Day.

Paulette Thorpe was raced to a hospital in Durham, North Carolina, after being hit around 11pm on Saturday, July 4, and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Durham Police Chief Cerelyn Davis slammed the “small few” who “chose to put our community at risk by carelessly firing guns into the air” during otherwise peaceful celebrations.

He added: “Ms. Thorpe’s death reminds us that we as a community must work together to prevent these senseless acts, so that no family suffers such a tragedy ever again.”

So far, there have been no arrests.