Arrest made in Sea-Tac laser pointing case

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | 3/8/2009 | KIRO-TV Seattle

[normanpubbie]

SEATAC, Wash. -- Port of Seattle police say a 24-year-old Burien resident has been arrested in connection with recent incidents in which a laser beam was aimed at planes approaching Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to land.

Police say the person was arrested Friday afternoon for investigation of first-degree unlawful discharge of a laser, a Class C felony.

A police news release says a laser was seized from the suspect, who was booked into the King County Jail. Further details were not released.

Since Feb. 22, pilots of more than a dozen planes have reported that a laser beam was directed at them as they approached Sea-Tac to land. None of the planes had trouble landing, but authorities say bright laser lights can be dangerous as they distract pilots.

[normanpubbie]

According to other sources, bond has been set for $100,000. Curiously, the alleged perpetrator was not identified. More info at http://www.kirotv.com/news/18882051/detail.html

[bigbob]

Good, hope the idiot gets what he deserves.

But how in the world could they actually catch a person doing this? (Probably bragged or somehow gave himself away).

[null and void]

Just a yute...

[Veto!]

Seattle papers never identify minority perps.

There was a similar case a few years ago but even more serious with laser flashed in pilots’ eyes and boat captains’ on Puget Sound too. Even an air force plane.

[Chickensoup]

bright laser lights can be dangerous as they distract pilots.

yes as piolt wonders whether the plane is being set up for a missle attack.

[libh8er]

Shine the laser into his eyes. He will know what it feels like.

[sionnsar]

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

Quick link: WA State Board

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[USNBandit]

It seems that WSP brought a surveillance aircraft over and this genius pointed the laser at it as well. WSP released the footage to the news well prior to making this arrest.

[Tarheel]

This perp is 24,per the article! That is not a juvenile!

[max americana]

> Seattle papers never identify minority perps.

It only applies if you are a Republican, Christian or conservative.

[conservative cat]

I don’t think they ever identify the perps before they are charged. However, they do everything in their power once they do know to make sure we don’t know the perp is a minority or a member of the ROP.

[normanpubbie]

#8, do you have a link for the news footage?

[SanFranDan]

Seattle papers USED TO never identify themselves as going bankrupt either. Hmm, fancy that!

[Veto!]

I meant minority as in Not Caucasian, not under 21.

Seattle papers, like many other liberal rags across the country, do not identify perps as being Black or hispanic or muslim or Asian. If they are white, they get their photos on page one.

[normanpubbie]

Here's the link that poster #8 cited: http://www.kirotv.com/video/18779493/index.html. Note that the video was shot on January 29 of this year. Also, the aircraft's position is shown in degrees, minutes, and seconds of arc. One second of latitude is about 100 feet and a second of longitude is about 60 feet at that latitude, so the location of the laser can be pinned down pretty precisely. It also appeared to me that the WSP zeroed in on the yard where the laser was located (see last second of footage).