A Dallas man will spend nearly three years in federal prison after he fired an AR-15 style rifle from a highway bridge on New Year's Eve, sending bullets into the night sky above a populated area while revelers gathered below.
Edwin Rios, 24, was sentenced to 35 months in federal custody after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, WFAA reported. Rios had a prior felony conviction that barred him from possessing firearms under federal law.
The shooting took place on December 31, 2023, on the Interstate 35E overpass near the Dallas Design District. Witnesses reported hearing rapid gunfire just before midnight. Rios allegedly fired multiple rounds from the bridge, an act captured on video that circulated widely on social media in the days following the incident.
Dallas police and federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives identified Rios through a combination of surveillance footage, social media video, and tips from the public. The viral clips showed a man standing on the overpass and firing what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle into the air.
Investigators matched the individual in the footage to Rios and executed a search. Law enforcement recovered the firearm connected to the incident. Rios was arrested and initially charged in state court before federal prosecutors took over the case, pursuing the felon-in-possession charge that carries stiffer penalties.
Rios pleaded guilty to the federal charge. The 35-month sentence was handed down by a U.S. district judge in the Northern District of Texas.
Celebratory gunfire on holidays remains a persistent public safety threat in cities across the country. Bullets fired into the air must come down, and they return at speeds capable of killing or seriously injuring bystanders. The bridge location amplified the risk. The Design District area draws crowds for nightlife and holiday events, and the overpass sits above streets where pedestrians and vehicles move freely.
No injuries were reported from the New Year's Eve shooting. But law enforcement officials have long warned that the absence of casualties in any single incident does not diminish the recklessness of the conduct. Stray rounds from celebratory fire kill or wound people across the United States every year, often striking victims inside their own homes or vehicles.
The decision to prosecute Rios federally rather than leave the case in state court reflects a broader pattern in North Texas. Federal prosecutors in the Northern District have increasingly taken on firearms cases involving prohibited possessors, particularly when the underlying conduct poses acute danger to the public.
A felon-in-possession conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The 35-month sentence Rios received falls well below that ceiling but still represents a significant term. Federal sentences do not include parole, meaning Rios will serve the vast majority of the time imposed, minus limited good-conduct credit.
U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton of the Northern District of Texas emphasized the seriousness of the offense in a statement tied to the sentencing. ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II also commented on the case.
Boshek stated that the investigation demonstrated ATF's commitment to holding accountable those who endanger the public with illegal firearms. The joint effort between Dallas police and federal agents was central to identifying and prosecuting Rios within months of the incident.
Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison from possessing firearms or ammunition. Rios's prior felony conviction placed him squarely within that prohibition. The nature of his prior offense was not detailed in public statements from prosecutors, but the conviction was sufficient to support the federal charge and guilty plea.
The case underscores a straightforward principle in federal firearms enforcement: when a convicted felon picks up a gun, the legal consequences escalate sharply. When that felon fires the weapon recklessly in a populated area, prosecutors have little reason to show restraint.
Following his prison term, Rios will face a period of supervised release under federal probation officers. Conditions of supervised release typically include a continued prohibition on firearm possession, drug testing, and restrictions on travel. Any violation during that period could send him back to prison.
Dallas police continue to urge residents to report celebratory gunfire and to avoid the practice entirely. The department has run public awareness campaigns around major holidays warning that firing weapons into the air is illegal and potentially deadly.
Thirty-five months in a federal cell is a steep price for a few seconds of reckless noise on New Year's Eve. Whether it deters the next person from pulling the trigger on a crowded bridge is the question that matters most.
