13-year-old points flare gun with laser at Pinellas Sheriff’s Office helicopter ‘because he was bored,’ deputies say

Kevin Accettulla
·1 min read
5
13-year-old points flare gun with laser at Pinellas Sheriff’s Office helicopter ‘because he was bored,’ deputies say

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A 13-year-old allegedly pointed a flare gun with a mounted green laser at a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helicopter “because he was bored,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office helicopter was in the area of 7th Street Northwest and 11th Avenue in Largo at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday when the pilot noticed a green laser, deputies said.

Deputies located the source of the laser and sent deputies on the ground.

Deputies found the 13-year-old, who said he pointed the laser at the helicopter “because he was bored,” according to the sheriff’s office.

“I didn’t know it was a police helicopter,” the teen could be heard saying in police bodycam footage.

The teen was arrested and charged with felony misuse of a laser lighting device. He was taken to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center, deputies said.

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