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Elderly Woman Hit By Bullet While Sitting At Home On NYE

GARDENA (CBS/AP) — A 74-year-old grandmother sitting in her Gardena home on New Year's Eve was struck in the foot by a bullet that was shot in the air by a reveler during the celebration.

Annie Chaney said she was in her rocking chair when she was hit by the stray bullet, which entered the house through her window.

"It was just when the big ball in New York fell…that's when the (gunfire) started," she said. "It was like… big bombs exploding. And then all of a sudden, I heard something go 'BAM' and it hit my foot."

Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators said the bullet didn't break the skin and she declined treatment.

"I don't know why it didn't tear (my foot) open," said Chaney.

The grandmother said she has always felt safe in her home, where she's lived since 1963, until the incident shattered her sense of security.

"It's like somebody came in and took away my peace. It's very peaceful here for me because when I'm in here, I can't hear anything outside. But that was a war zone out there the other night," Chaney said.

Chaney believes whoever shot the bullet into the air should think before they act next time.

"It's always been said that if it comes up… it'll come down," she said.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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