More than lifting and support, a woman was saved by her bra from a falling bullet during New Year's celebrations. The bra strap on her left shoulder had slowed down the bullet and prevented serious injury.

In town to visit family, Debbie Bingham, 46, had gone outside with her daughter and son to celebrate New Year and watch the local fireworks display. At 11:40 p.m. she reported feeling a sharp pain in her left shoulder.

"We were sitting at the picnic table and listening to music and my mom said, 'Ow,'" her daughter, Solanda Bingham, said.

She said she looked over and shouted "My mother's been shot. My mother's been shot."

The bullet was lodged halfway inside of Debbie's bra while the other half barely breaking the skin.

Apparently, someone had fired a gun into the air and the falling .45-caliber bullet struck Bingham.

She was brought to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg where she treated for five stitches.

St. Petersburg authorities are searching for the shooter to verify Bingham was the target of the gunfire or if she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, said George Kajtsa, spokesman for the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Kajitsa said that firing a weapon within city limits is a misdemeanor and can incur a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to one year in jail.