A man was arrested after allegedly pointing a powerful laser at a police helicopter in Nashville, according to court documents.
Shannon Cole, 43, was apprehended by police on Saturday after using a laser so powerful it can cause “permanent blindness to an individual with minimal exposure,” said an arrest warrant from prosecutor Andrew Brazee.
ONE PERSON ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO LOS ANGELES WILDFIRE
Cole was charged with two counts of felony reckless endangerment and two counts of assault, WKRN reported, adding that his bond was set at $13,000.
Metro Nashville Police Department pilots Matt Harris and Spencer Pittman were flying to support street racing enforcement operations on Saturday night when their cockpit was hit by the laser multiple times, according to a Monday tweet from the department.
The “powerful green military-grade,” 5,000 milliwatt laser had an effective range of 10 miles, Brazee said.
“Had one or both crew members been incapacitated or disoriented by the laser, a catastrophic aircraft incident may have occurred,” the warrant added.
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The pair identified the building and apartment the laser was coming from, and when police arrived, they said Cole was asked if he was holding the laser and if he had pointed it at the helicopter, and he answered in the affirmative.
The pilots were able to land the helicopter safely, and no injuries were reported in the warrant. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
