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NYPD Apprehend Two For Lasering News Helicopters
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2015
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2015
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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The news helicopters of WCBS 2, WNBC 4 and WABC 7 were struck by lasers last night, and the crews helped the NYPD locate suspects. NBC New York reporter Dennis Protsko said, "We could actually see him standing back outside the building with the laser in his hand shooting at us."
Protsko and his pilot were headed to downtown Brooklyn when they were struck over Prospect Heights. CBS 2's chopper was hit while it was over Park Slope: " Joe Biermann saw a green laser bounce around several times inside the cockpit... 'When we were looking there, we got lasered,' Biermann said. '(At the same time), the NYPD was right next to us, so they hovered above the place - a green laser.'"
WABC 7's helicopter was lasered while it was over Elizabeth, NJ.
Protsko said it looked like the man who lasered them was laughing, which infuriated him, "You get hit in the face like that, in the eyes, and you can go temporarily blind... We're talking about a helicopter that weighs almost two tons," he added. "Imagine that coming down on your house because the pilot's vision is impaired. Even more serious if it was a jetliner."
Here's video of Protsko and the pilot being hit by the lasers, seeing two figures behind a building and then, in a satisfying conclusion, watching cops flood the alley behind 925 Fulton Street in Brooklyn:
Two people were taken into custody by the NYPD, and one was arrested. One person was arrested in NJ for the WABC 7 incident.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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