There were two incidents of lasers being flashed into pilot's eyes near Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday night.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested after he allegedly pointed a powerful laser from his backyard at a Boeing 737 jet on final approach to LAX at 7:05 p.m. Federal Aviation Spokesman Ian Gregor said the jet was "at 2,000 feet on their 7-mile final to LAX's north runway complex." Gregor was troubled over the incident since lasers "can cause temporary vision problems" for pilots.
Cops had an easy first arrest. The Boeing pilots were able to pinpoint where the laser came from and police responded with their helicopter. The boy continued to point the laser at the police chopper from his home near Avalon Boulevard and East 61st Street in South Los Angeles. Police narrowed their search and nabbed the teen in his backyard still in possession of the laser.
While the NBCLA news helicopter was flying overhead as the teen was arrested a second suspect fired a laser with a bright green beam at our pilot. The blast lasted for about three seconds. The pilot was okay.
Patrol officers from Los Angeles Newton Division responded to where the green flash came from, it was only about one block away from where the first arrest was made. No arrest has been announced in the "green beam attack."
The FAA reported last month that more 100 incidents occurred at Los Angeles International Airport last year in which the safety of planes was put at risk by people pointing at them with lasers.
Overall, the number of incidents nationally in which people pointed lasers at planes and helicopters nearly doubled last year, from 1,527 incidents in 2009 to 2,836 incidents in 2010, the FAA said.
