PLAQUEMINE - The sound of fireworks is expected, and even embraced, on New Year's Eve, but mix with gun fire and things can get a little scary.

"There was two locations that sounded kind of like a war zone," said Major Monty Migliacio with the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office.

Residents firing guns in the air on New Year's Eve can turn deadly. In 2001, eight-year-old Sean Fister was killed after a bullet hit him in the head in Baton Rouge.

Though there were no reports of injury this year, the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office was not taking chances.

"The last couple years we've noticed an up-tick in New Year's—that people want to shoot guns in the air instead of shooting fireworks," Migliacio said.

This year, they took a proactive approach to apprehending gun-happy revelers.

"I reached out to guys that were off and said, 'Hey, look we're taking this proactive step. We're trying to get these guns off the street. We need some extra man power,' and at 12 o'clock we had our ears open and we were out there looking and trying to stop these guns from being fired."

Due to the deputies' diligence, five stolen guns were confiscated in the Plaquemine area, including an AR-15 and a pistol with an automatic switch attached. At least three people ended up in jail.

The sheriff's office is hoping to send a message about the illegal and dangerous pastime.

"This is not a sheriff's office problem—this is a community problem."

In Baton rouge, both police and the sheriffs deputies said they did not arrest anyone for shooting guns, though calls were coming in all night.