Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind.
Each year, millions across the world celebrate with presents and egg nog, family dinners and reflection on the true reason for the season. Others, meanwhile, get drunk and fire off handguns, brawl in the streets and dress up like St. Nicholas for day of debauchery.
Deputies in Summit County, Utah arrested 56-year-old Randal Weed Dickinson Sunday after his roommates allege he stumbled out of his room drunk and knocked over a Christmas tree.
“The homeowner and his son were in the kitchen of the home when Dickinson came out of his room and fell into the Christmas tree, knocking it over. The roommates then told him to go back into his room,” KTVX reports.
“As the roommates started to walk from the kitchen to the backdoor, gunfire started from behind them. Dickinson shot approximately 15 rounds from a handgun at the two. The bullets hit appliances and went through walls, but no one was actually hit with the gun fire,” according to the news site. “When the firearm ran empty, Dickinson was subdued by the roommates until deputies arrived.”
Dickinson was taken to the hospital for injuring himself in the stunt, and was then booked into Wasatch County Jail on numerous charges, including felony discharge of a firearm, second-degree felony criminal mischief, felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor charges for carrying a dangerous weapon while intoxicated, KTVX reports.
Police also had their hands full in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where about 100 teens brawled in the streets, blocked traffic and caused other problems during an annual Christmas lights display at Rhema Bible Church on Saturday.
Police told KJRH church officials were forced to shut down the show early as officers used pepper spray to break up the melee.
“Several people called at different locations about assaults during the fighting,” Broken Arrow Police spokesman James Koch said. “Several units were stationed to control the crowd, but additional fights broke out and required a response from first and third shift patrols to break them up.”
Rumors surfaced that a 15-year-old was shot in the ordeal, but Koch contends that didn’t happen.
“No one has come forward saying they’ve been shot and we don’t have any reports of it,” he said.
Meanwhile in London, hundreds of folks dressed as the big man to attend the city’s annual Santacon, an event designed to raise money for a children’s charity. And while many were merry and bright, others were captured on video chugging beers and brawling, urinating in public, and taking part in other drunken shenanigans during an associated pub crawl, the Mirror reports.
“Footage (online) shows two men, dressed with their red and white jacket and trousers rolling around on the floor in London’s Pleasure Gardens in Vauxhall.
Other footage shows others drinking to excess while some decided to relieve themselves in public,” according to the news site.
“There’s no particular reason to dress up in Santa suits, run around, give gifts, sing songs, have strangers sit on our laps and decide who is naughty or nice,” the Santacon reads. “But it’s a lot of fun so Santa does it anyway!”
The holiday mayhem last weekend comes just days after a Pennsylvania man threatened to stab spectators during a Christmas Parade in Butler.
Police told KDKA 31-year-old Michael Sparks pushed his way through a crowd with his young daughter on his shoulders, and several people asked him to move when their children could no longer see the parade.
Sparks allegedly shouted obscenities and one man stepped in to point out his “language and actions were not necessary,” according to the criminal complaint.
That’s when police allege Sparks pulled out a knife and said, “If you want to fight, let’s fight.”
An officer at the parade broke up the commotion, disarmed Sparks, and arrested him on charges including aggravated assault and making terroristic threats, KDKA reports.
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