A UNC student is recovering after being hit with a stray bullet at New Year’s celebrations in Raleigh.

Kaitlyn Kong wrote in a post shared on Facebook that she and her roommate Allyson Cole were at First Night Raleigh on Monday night to welcome in 2019 when she “felt a sharp pain in [her] left abdomen.”

Kong saw blood and called 911 before an ambulance took her to WakeMed. She had surgery to remove the bullet and repair damage to her lung, diaphragm and stomach, according to the Facebook post.

Raleigh Police are investigating but initially believe the bullet was shot into the air by someone marking the beginning of the new year.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood has warned against that practice in the past. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office posted a message on December 30 asking residents to be mindful of the potential impact that sort of action could have.

“Just a friendly reminder before you ring in the New Year tomorrow night. When you fire a gun into the air, what goes up eventually comes down and you are legally responsible for where the bullet lands. Please be smarter than that, leave firearms out of the celebration. Happy New Year to one and all!”

Kong wrote in the social media post that she is expecting to be in the hospital for a week to heal and recover.

UNC’s directory lists both Kong and Cole as students.

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