An Edmonton man is facing several charges, including assault with a weapon, after a laser was pointed up at a police helicopter this past weekend.
On Saturday at around 2:15 a.m., Edmonton police said Air 1 was flying over the north side when the aircraft was struck several times by a blue laser.
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Shortly after the incident happened, the EPS Air 1 unit tweeted that being hit with a laser is “like having a flashlight at point blank range at our altitude,” adding that lasers can do far more damage.
Photos supplied by police showed the strength of the laser.
“As you can see in the images taken by Air 1, the laser can be quite blinding to the human eye and could impose serious safety risks to our members operating the aircraft,” EPS Flight Operations Unit Sgt. James Pennie said in a statement.
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“Pointing a laser or any other projected light at any aircraft could result in criminal charges and/or penalties under the Canadian Aviation Regulations,” he said.
Police said the pilot was able to track the origin of the laser and patrol offices on the ground found and arrested a suspect.
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Christopher Horon, 41, was charged with assault with a weapon, mischief and two counts of breaching probation.