The Victoria Police Department (VPD) arrested two men shortly after midnight New Year’s Day after they allegedly fired celebratory shots into the air.

VPD Chief H.K. Phillips identified the men as Rowland S. Seals, 26, of Wildwood Lane, Keysville, and Ciante D. Scott, 25, of Cottage Road, Blackstone. The men allegedly fired the shots in the 1200 block of 11th Street in Victoria.

Phillips said Seals and Scott are each charged with recklessly handling a firearm and discharging a firearm in a public place. Officers seized an 870 12-gauge shotgun from Seals and a 9mm Taurus handgun from Scott.

Phillips said both men were released on unsecured bonds to appear in court at a later date.

The chief said he was upset about the incident, pointing to a fatal case of celebratory shooting in Chesterfield County in 2013. A 7-year-old boy died after being struck by what police there felt was a celebratory gunshot fired into the air on July 4, 2013, from somewhere in a 7,000-foot radius around where the boy had been walking with his father to a fireworks show.

Rowland S.
Seals