A King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew reported being struck by a green laser over the city of Auburn late Wednesday night.
Within minutes, police officers on the ground had arrested the suspect and recovered a laser pointer.
The incident happened in southeast Auburn around 9 p.m. near 313 37th Street Southeast. Video from the Guardian One helicopter shows a green laser illuminating the camera. The flight crew quickly radioed Auburn police dispatchers and notified them of the laser strike.
The Guardian One crew followed the suspect’s car as Auburn police officers caught up and made a traffic stop.
The officer on the ground reported over the radio that he recovered a laser pointer from the passenger in the car.
Deputy Anthony Mullinax with the sheriff’s Air Support Unit was flying the helicopter when the strike occurred.
“It just seems to be a recurring problem that people can’t seem to stop intentionally pointing a laser at aircraft,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to identify, get good evidence, and put a good case for the prosecutors to hold somebody accountable for this dangerous behavior.”
The Federal Aviation Administration reports a steep increase in reported laser strikes in recent years, including in Washington state.
In 2024, the Washington State Patrol arrested a man in Federal Way who pointed a laser at a Patrol airplane that was flying in south King County.
The rapid arrest within minutes demonstrates the advantage law enforcement helicopters provide in tracking suspects from the air while directing ground units to intercept, a capability that makes laser strike apprehensions far more likely than in incidents involving commercial aircraft.
Green lasers pose particular danger to pilots because the wavelength is highly visible to the human eye and can cause temporary flash blindness or afterimages that persist for minutes, potentially leading to loss of aircraft control during critical flight phases.
The suspect’s status as a passenger rather than driver raises questions about whether the vehicle owner knew about the laser pointing or could face liability, and whether the passenger faces additional charges beyond the federal offense of interfering with aircraft operations.
Deputy Mullinax’s characterization of laser strikes as a “recurring problem” reflects nationwide trends where inexpensive high-powered laser pointers purchased online enable individuals to commit federal offenses carrying up to five years imprisonment and $250,000 fines.
The FAA’s reported steep increase in laser strikes corresponds with proliferation of powerful handheld lasers marketed as presentation tools or astronomy pointers but capable of reaching aircraft at altitudes of 10,000 feet or higher with beams remaining dangerous.
The 2024 Federal Way incident involving Washington State Patrol demonstrates that laser strikes affect multiple law enforcement aviation units operating in King County, suggesting either copycat behavior or widespread unawareness of the serious criminal penalties.
Guardian One’s presence over Auburn at 9 p.m. likely involved assisting ground units with suspect searches, traffic pursuits, or area surveillance, with the helicopter’s visibility making it an obvious target for individuals seeking to disrupt law enforcement operations.
The video evidence captured by Guardian One’s camera systems provides prosecutors with clear documentation of the laser strike, making conviction far more likely than cases relying solely on pilot testimony about being struck by lasers.
The southeast Auburn location near 313 37th Street Southeast places the incident in a residential area where the suspect either lived or was visiting, suggesting the laser pointing may have been impulsive rather than premeditated stalking of the aircraft.
Federal prosecution of laser strikes falls under Title 18 U.S.C. Section 39A, which criminalizes knowingly aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, with penalties increasing if the act causes serious bodily injury to crew or passengers.
