SEATTLE — The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is investigating two separate instances of laser strikes on a plane, reportedly originating from somewhere near the Space Needle.
The SPD said they received reports of laser strikes on a plane from the Port of Seattle around 9:30 p.m. on April 26 and after 9 p.m. on April 22.
The King County Sheriff's Air Support Unit also reported a green laser pointed at a sheriff’s office helicopter was “lighting up the cockpit” in Kent around 10:20 p.m. on April 26. The sheriff’s office said aircrews used the helicopter’s camera system to direct officers to the suspect, who was then contacted by Kent police.
Laser strikes on planes around the Puget Sound region have seemingly eased after dozens of instances were reported near Sea-Tac Airport earlier this year. In February, at least 45 flights around Sea-Tac were hit by a green laser over a two-week period.
Pointing a laser at airplanes is a safety threat and could potentially cause pilots to experience flash blindness or obscured vision, endangering the lives of those on the flight.
Shining a laser at aircraft is a federal crime, punishable by fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple incidents.
The uptick in incidents previously prompted the FAA and Port of Seattle to ask for the public’s help in February to find the person or persons responsible for shining lasers around Sea-Tac Airport. In early April, the FBI announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
According to the FBI, there has been a “dramatic increase of laser incidents involving arriving commercial aircraft” in Washington state. As of March 9, over 100 incidents involving lasers being pointed at planes around Sea-Tac Airport had been reported.
Neighborhoods with reported incidents include SeaTac, South Park, Highland Park, White Center, Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines, according to the FBI.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or online at tips.fbi.gov.
Laser strikes have been on the rise nationally, with an all-time high of 9,723 laser strikes reported by the FAA in 2021.
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