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On noisy July 4, gunplay kills man

Other than the death at a cookout, Fourth of July celebrations resulted in only a few minor injuries.

By ANDREA CHANG
Published July 5, 2006

A loaded gun proved deadly for a St. Petersburg man who was celebrating the Fourth of July.

Casey Neal, 36, was drinking and playing with a handgun during a cookout at his house on 35th Street S when he shot and killed himself, police said.

At about 2:15 a.m. Wednesday, Neal pointed the semiautomatic handgun at his head and told friends he would pull the trigger after counting down from five. Police said it appeared to be an accident.

Although illegal fireworks were ablaze all over the Tampa Bay area in honor of Independence Day, authorities reported few problems.

“It was relatively trouble-free,” said St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

One man in St. Petersburg was struck in the face by fireworks at Preston Avenue S, said St. Petersburg fire Lt. Rick Feinberg. Chaneil Crumity, 47, was taken to Bayfront Medical Center and was listed in good condition. It was unclear how the accident happened.

In Tampa, a 6-year-old suffered a minor burn from a sparkler and was treated at University Community Hospital, a spokeswoman said. A woman burned her hand with sparklers and had to be taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she was treated and released, said spokesman Will Darnell.

A 16-year-old Tampa teen injured last weekend when someone put a lit firecracker in his pants pocket has been released from Tampa General Hospital.

In Hernando County, authorities issued two fireworks citations: one to a man who threw a firecracker at a car, the other to a man who threw a firecracker at a group of people. No one was injured.

Hernando Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Deputy Donna L. Black said the department responded to more than 75 fireworks-related noise complaints on Tuesday and into the early hours on Wednesday.

The Pasco County sheriff’s office got 763 fireworks complaints between Friday and Wednesday morning.

[Last modified July 5, 2006, 23:09:09]