Photo of bullet damage done to home submitted
It was a horrifying end to 2025 for one local family, who discovered damage to their home that turned out to be a stray bullet.
Speaking to PTBOTODAY.ca on the condition of of anonymity, a Peterborough woman wants to share the experience that left her and her family upset, scared and angry.
In a series of questions, the woman ran down the course of events:
“On December 31st, we picked up our two daughters, 5 and 2, from daycare at approx. 5:00 p.m. We went out to dinner and returned home around 6:50 p.m. The roads were bad and my husband wanted to just pick up the food and come home, but I pressed to go out (Thankfully). Our reservation was for 5:30 p.m. When we returned home, we were planning a family movie night and were getting into our pjs in our bedrooms. That’s when I noticed a hair towel of mine, that hangs on the back of our master closet door, was on the floor. I went over to pick it up and then saw the hole through our closet door. Thinking it was an animal that must have come inside, I opened the closet door and saw another hole at the top of our closet. Still thinking it was an animal, I went downstairs to get my husband. While walking back up the stairs, I then noticed a bump in our hallway wall (opposite side of our bedroom wall). Then upon further investigation, we saw the other bullet hole and realized that’s where the bullet became lodged. So, it came in through the exterior wall of the back of our house, through the closet, the closet door, across a hallway in our master bedroom, and into the wall where it is now lodged. That was when we called 911.”
Peterborough Police Service say an active investigation is underway, but so far no charges have been laid. Officials also confirmed on Friday, the firearm belonged to an off-duty member of the Peterborough Police Service and was legally owned.
The victim went on to tell us about the wide range of emotions her family are experiencing including shock, fear, anger, depression about what could have happened if they were home at the time of the bullet being fired.
When it comes to the idea of firearm safety, an overall message the victim wanted to get out to the public is “be responsible for your actions, because there are some things that people can’t come back from”.
(Written by: Jordan Mercier)
