On the evening of December 21, an incident involving a laser pointer and commercial aircraft near Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport led to the arrest of a 35-year-old man, identified as William Hill, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Officers were summoned to the area of 17th Avenue and Indianola at approximately 5:23 p.m. after receiving reports of a man using a laser pointer to target commercial planes as they prepared to land at the airport. The suspect, Hill, continued to direct the laser pointer at a Phoenix Police helicopter as patrol officers arrived at the scene.
Under Arizona law, aiming a laser pointer at an occupied aircraft is considered a criminal offense. As a result, Hill was taken into custody and booked into jail.
The incident highlights the dangers associated with laser strikes on aircraft. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there were 9,457 reported laser strike incidents in 2022, a slight decrease from the 9,723 incidents reported in 2021. Laser strikes can pose serious risks to flight crews and passengers, as they can temporarily blind or distract pilots during critical phases of flight.
Law enforcement agencies and aviation authorities take such incidents seriously and work to identify and apprehend individuals responsible for laser strikes to ensure the safety of aviation operations.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, fox10phoenix.com
