Largo, FL, USA - 19.04.2024

Pinellas County deputies from the Patrol Operations Bureau apprehended a juvenile on charges of felony Misuse of a Laser Lighting Device after he directed a laser at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helicopter.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, April 19, 2024, around 12:30 a.m. as the Sheriff’s Office helicopter patrolled the airspace near 7th Street Northwest and 11th Avenue in Largo. Flight deputies onboard the helicopter reported that a green laser beam was aimed directly at them. Swiftly responding to the situation, deputies maintained visual contact with the suspect and guided ground patrol units to his location.

Upon arrival, deputies identified and engaged with 13-year-old Josiah Sullivan, who admitted to the act of targeting the helicopter with the laser lighting device. The device, recovered from Sullivan's possession, was described as a flare gun equipped with a mounted laser. When questioned by authorities, Sullivan confessed that he deliberately pointed the laser at the helicopter out of boredom.

Under Florida State Statute, the deliberate shining, pointing, or focusing of a laser lighting device on an individual operating a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft constitutes a third-degree felony offense.

Consequently, Sullivan was taken into custody and charged with felony Misuse of a Laser Lighting Device. He was subsequently transported to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center to await further legal proceedings.