TAMPA, Fla. (WSVN) – Tampa police apprehended a man on Monday morning who allegedly directed a laser at a police helicopter, endangering the pilots and prompting concerns about safety.
Video footage captured the alarming moments when the laser was aimed at the aircraft.
According to the Tampa Police Department, the incident unfolded when the pilots of the police helicopter reported the blinding laser beam that was directed at them from an apartment building.
With assistance from aviation, Temple Terrace and Tampa PD officers were able to identify the apartment from which the laser originated.
The individual has been identified as 26-year-old Juan Lozada Samorano. He now faces charges of misusing a laser lighting device.
The helicopter pilots involved did not sustain injuries from the laser.
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