Woman struck by bullet while celebrating New Year said a baby next to her could have been hit

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla.-- The woman recovering after being hit by gunfire while in Delray Beach to ring in the New Year said she was hugging her sister and a baby was just beside her at the time.

Dianne Harris was visiting from Jamaica and was sitting at the northwest corner of East Atlantic Avenue and NE First Avenue when she felt something hit her right leg.

"I said, 'something hit me. Something hit me'... like something heavy fell on my foot," she recalled.

She said she "freaked out" when she realized she had been shot. She was worried the bullet hit an artery and that she might die.

Harris said a doctor told her that based on where the bullet landed she would not advise an operation.

She received a tetanus shot and eventually released.

Harris will return to Jamaica at the end of January.

At this point, police believe the shooting is the result of celebratory gunfire.

Harris said she doesn’t understand why someone would shoot their gun into the air.

“Here we came on vacation and we had so many things planned and in one minutes it changed. Is that one second of fun worth the pain and suffering you will cause someone else?” She asked.

Harris said dozens of people were around her when she was shot, including her sister’s toddler inches away from the bullet. “Had I brought her over to hug her, she might have been the recipient of the bullet.”

Officers say there is no suspect information at this time. If you have information on this shooting, Delray Beach police would like to hear from you. The number is (561) 243-7888.