Police say a Phoenix man turned a quiet Thursday night into a dangerous light show when he aimed a green laser at a Phoenix Police Department helicopter and a Southwest Airlines jet that was coming in to land at Sky Harbor. Lauro Pena Vazquez was arrested near 19th Avenue and Indian School Road after officers traced the beam to a nearby home. Prosecutors have filed felony charges tied to allegedly aiming the laser at two occupied aircraft.
How officers tracked the beam
Just after 8:30 p.m., a Southwest flight reported a green laser while on approach to Sky Harbor, and the Phoenix Police air crew told ground units they were also being hit by a laser, according to ABC15. The air unit tracked the beam back to a residence and guided officers in on the ground.
Police obtained a search warrant for the home, recovered a laser device and arrested a 35-year-old man, the outlet reports. He was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an occupied aircraft, a class 6 felony under Arizona law.
Suspect named in local reporting
Arizona's Family identified the suspect as Lauro Pena Vazquez and reported that he was taken into custody after the Phoenix Air Unit crew said they were illuminated by a green laser. According to the station and court records, the laser device police believe was used in the incident was found during the subsequent search of the residence.
Legal consequences
Intentionally or knowingly directing a laser at an occupied aircraft is a felony under Arizona law, per ARS §13‑1213. Federal authorities also treat laser strikes as a serious offense, and the FBI notes that such incidents can endanger pilots. Federal law allows for potential prison time and fines for people convicted of targeting aircraft with lasers.
Why it matters
Lasers can temporarily blind or disorient pilots during critical moments like takeoff and landing, and the FAA says laser strikes remain a persistent safety concern nationwide. The agency tracks thousands of reported incidents each year and urges anyone who sees a laser aimed at an aircraft to alert local law enforcement as well as the FAA.
Court documents cited by ABC15 state that Vazquez admitted he was “testing” how powerful the laser was. The case remains under investigation by local authorities.
