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Frickin' laser beams
We hear a lot of stories of bored idiots shining laser pointers at airplanes and helicopters, but rarely do we get to see immensely satisfying video of said idiots getting busted by the cops. Thanks to NBC New York 4 reporter Dennis Protsko, that footage now exists. And it's amazing.
A FEDERAL CRIME PUNISHABLE BY UP TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON
Protsko and the Chopper 4 pilot were heading to Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, to cover the arrest of a man who had stolen a Greyhound Bus — which is unto itself an amazing story — when they were hit with light from a green laser. While this may sound unremarkable to those of us bound by the laws of gravity, laser pointers pose such a huge problem for pilots that it's a federal crime punishable by five years in prison. The FBI launched a program last year aimed at deterring people from shining lasers on passing planes and helicopters.
Back in Brooklyn, Protsko attempted to find the culprits from 1,500 feet in the air. Eventually he spied several individuals behind a health food store that were shining the laser pointer not only at the new chopper, but also an NYPD helicopter that came to investigate. "We could actually see him standing back outside the building with the laser in his hand shooting at us," Protsko is heard saying in the video.
Because this is New York, other news choppers soon got in on the action. CBS Chopper 2's Joe Biermann saw a green laser bounce around several times inside the cockpit while flying over Park Slope. "When we were looking there, we got lasered," Biermann said. "(At the same time), the NYPD was right next to us, so they hovered above the place — a green laser."
IT WASN'T EVEN THE ONLY LASER STRIKE IN THE REGION THAT NIGHT
The NBC4 pilot notified the tower at LaGuardia Airport, who in turn notified the NYPD Aviation Unit, police said. Police traced the laser to the rear at 925 Fulton St. in Brooklyn. Protsko's camera captures the moment when the two individuals were arrested by police.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there has been a dramatic increase in the reported number of laser strikes on planes and helicopters, thanks to increased awareness by pilots, cheaper laser pointers for sale, and stronger laser power that allows the light to hit aircraft at higher altitudes. The Brooklyn incident wasn't even the only one last night: WABC 7's helicopter was lasered while it was over Elizabeth, New Jersey.
On camera, Protsko explains why this type of behavior angers him. "You get hit in the face like that, in the eyes, and you can go temporarily blind... We're talking about a helicopter that weighs almost two tons," he said. "Imagine that coming down on your house because the pilot's vision is impaired. Even more serious if it was a jetliner."
- VIAGOTHAMIST
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