FBI offers $10K reward for laser strikes on SEA Airport planes
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Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
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The Brief
The FBI has been monitoring an increase in incidents involving lasers at Washington airports.
Laser strikes have been reported at both Seattle-area and Spokane airports.
Now, the agency is offering a reward for information to stop the people doing it.
SEATTLE - The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now offering a reward of up to $10,000 in the face of laser incidents at Washington airports.
FBI officials previously launched an investigation on lasers interfering at Seattle and Spokane airports. The reward will go to people able to offer information that leads to the arrest of those using the lasers in Washington.
Laser seen from a helicopter in the Spokane Valley. (Spokane County Sheriff's Office)
The reward comes as the FBI ramps up their efforts to quell the threat of lasers. The light can not only complicate landings by reflecting off cockpit windows, but also damage pilot's eyes during potentially crucial moments of flight.
Laser strikes aimed at aircraft, including airline planes, surged 41% last year to a record high, according to federal officials. (FAA)
How you can help protect the skies
The FBI encourages the public to report suspicious laser activity by calling 1-800-225-5324 or visiting tips.fbi.gov. It's important to educate minors about the dangers of misusing laser pointers to prevent potential legal consequences and ensure aviation safety.
"If we can prevent one catastrophe, prevent one pilot from being blinded, that makes it worth it," said Melissa Ventresca, supervisory special agent at FBI San Antonio.
The Source
Information for this story came from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Related Story: A New Ratings Game: 3,000 Deals, 20 Analysts, Lots of Questions The sale bogged down after that. Month after month, its completion kept getting delayed. Then, in May 2024, it all started to unravel on Cappelletti when the Groton commissioners received subpoenas ordering them to travel across the state to provide sworn testimony. Months earlier, a lawsuit had been filed against Cappelletti's Meriden Housing Authority and a subsidiary, Maynard Road Corp., that had defaulted on a $16 million loan. The lender, Titan Capital, subpoenaed the Groton commissioners because Cappelletti had made $629,000 of loan repayments with funds pulled from their agency, not Meriden's. The Meriden agency is now on the hook for about $30 million — to repay the Titan loan with interest as well as $12.5 million owed to Citizens Bank for a project in Bristol, Connecticut. 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