Thedailymiaminews– BALTIMORE – The During the month of December, a man was taken into custody after he used lasers to attack a helicopter belonging to the Baltimore County Police Department.
On December 19, 2024, at 9:45 p.m., members of the BCoPD Aviation Unit were flying to Martin State Airport when they were struck by multiple lasers on Eastern Avenue.
Officers were able to determine the origin of the strikes by utilizing an image device that was installed on the vehicle, which also alerted patrol officers to the incident.
Anthony R. Wolff, who was fifty years old, was discovered by the police on the 800 block of Rosedale Avenue.
Wolff was charged with “recklessly engaging in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious injuries to the officers,” as stated in a press statement issued by the British Columbia Police Department.
It was mentioned in the press release that the Federal Aviation Administration had recorded a “substantial” increase in the number of laser strikes two days earlier.
What may appear to be a very small beam on the ground can blind aircrew when laser beams are directed toward any piloted aircraft, regardless of whether it is a military or commercial aircraft. This could potentially result in a collision or other mishap while the aircraft is in the air. It is estimated that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received more than 13,000 reports of laser attacks in 2023 alone, as stated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Using a laser to intentionally target an airplane is a criminal offense under federal law.