A 13-year-old Florida boy has been charged with a felony after allegedly shining a laser at a Sheriff’s Department helicopter.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said the helicopter was flying over the area of 7th Avenue and 11th Avenue NW in Largo around 12:30 a.m. Thursday when a green laser illumination device appeared on the aircraft. It was directed at me.
Officers in the helicopter maintained visual contact with the suspect and directed officers on the ground to the suspect’s location.
In a video released by the sheriff’s office, a deputy aboard the helicopter can be heard saying, “Please stand up and give this gentleman a ride. He’s blinding our pilot.” I heard it.
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A 13-year-old Florida boy has been charged with a felony for pointing a laser at a sheriff’s office helicopter. (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)
Body camera video later showed officers on the ground locating the boy, who reportedly admitted to shining a laser illumination device on the helicopter. Deputies found a flare bomb with a green laser inside his jacket.
Deputies said the boy intentionally pointed the laser at the helicopter because he was bored.
“I didn’t know it was a police helicopter,” the boy, who was in the back seat of the police car, can be heard telling officers.
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The teenager told deputies he purposely pointed the laser at the helicopter because he was bored. (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)
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The boy was arrested and charged with felony misuse of a laser lighting device. He was taken to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center.
According to Florida law, it is a third-degree felony to knowingly and intentionally direct, direct, or focus the beam of a laser illumination device on a person operating a motor vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft. .
This incident is still under investigation.
