‘It’s terrifying’: Swansea residents find 9 mm bullet embedded in backyard deck

Two Swansea residents found a 9mm bullet lodged in their home’s deck Monday.

Tim Sexton found the bullet embedded in the deck of the home he shares with his wife, Micah, three children and four dogs near Illinois 161. No one was injured.

“ I thought it was a screw hanging up out in the deck, which is why it caught my attention,” Tim said. “ I was really kinda shocked the moment that I found a bullet in the deck. For a second, I thought it was the kids playing around with something, but I knew it wasn’t them.”

Tim said it’s the first time they’ve found a bullet on their property, but not the first time they’ve heard gunshots near their home.

“ We hear these bangs all the time,” he said. “ A lot of times they sound like fireworks or dynamite going off — I mean, it’s loud. And then on top of that, now we’re finding bullets in our deck.”

Swansea Deputy Chief of Police Keith Howard said the bullet was likely fired into the air up to three miles away from the home.

“If you’re firing up in the air, it’s going to come down somewhere,” Howard said. “Fortunately, this one just landed in a deck and didn’t hit anybody or anything significant.”

Howard said this is the first report of its kind the department has received in years.

In 2024, the Camp Jackson Volunteer Fire Department station house was hit by a stray bullet. It was the third such incident, Assistant Chief Sharon Davis said at the time. Two men, both convicted felons, were eventually charged.

Reckless discharge of a firearm is a Class 4 felony, punishable by one to three years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.

Howard said residents should contact police immediately if they suspect an injury or property damage from the reckless discharge of a firearm so law enforcement can write a report. He said the report can be used to file an insurance claim related to any damage.

“I would discourage anyone from firing (bullets) in the air because it can be dangerous, and you never know where it’s gonna go,” Howard said. “Incidents like this can happen, where these rounds come down and damage property or injure people. Fortunately, most people are a little more aware of that now and don’t fire guns up into the air.”

The Sextons restored the pond in their backyard and added decks to the back of the home since buying it in 2019. Micah Sexton said the incident has made the family a little more cautious but will not preclude them from spending time outside.

“ It’s actually pretty terrifying because we’re out here all the time,” Micah said. “It’s just a scary thought to think that we could’ve just been standing here, and it could’ve hit us.”

This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 11:34 AM.