At least five people had fingers or parts of their hands blown off on Independence Day in what the Pulaski County sheriff's office called a "fireworks war" in College Station.
Deputies arrested 12 people on varying charges after several deputies received minor burns from people shooting fireworks at them, sheriff's office spokesman Lt. Cody Burk said. The crowd in College Station — which Burk estimated to be 250 to 300 people — were not all residents. Burk said the majority of the warring people were from Little Rock, North Little Rock and other surrounding communities.
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The residents shot so many firecrackers at ambulances that the first responders could no longer drive into the area, Burk said, meaning deputies had to transport people with missing fingers three or four blocks away before a medic could see them.
Burk said deputies applied tourniquets and bandages to multiple people who suffered burns from the “display grade” fireworks.
Firecrackers are legal to possess and fire in the county, but Burk said residents are not allowed to recklessly deploy the explosives or injure others.