A Jamaica man was arrested for shining a high-powered laser beam at an NYPD helicopter as the chopper searched for an assault suspect last week, police said.
The helicopter’s two pilots were looking for the suspect at about 9:30 p.m. within the 107th Precinct when one of the pilots said he suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, saw “a bright green light that illuminated the cockpit.” The flash caused him to pull off his night-vision goggles.
After realizing it was a powerful laser beam, the officers radioed patrol units on the ground and sighted the source — a man in the rear yard of a school at 162nd Street and 86th Avenue, according to authorities.
Police arrested 26-year-old Daniel Parris, who lives one block from the school. A six-inch-long laser device was recovered from his pocket, cops said.
Parris was charged with reckless endangerment, menacing and obstructing governmental administration.
A week before Parris’ arrest, a Brooklyn man was also busted for interfering with an NYPD helicopter during a nighttime search after he flew a drone within 50 feet of the chopper on Sept. 17, according to authorities.
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