Laser Pointer Targeted at Plane Near Fargo Airport

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Fargo police say someone targeted a laser pointer at an airplane when it was about 12 miles south of Hector International Airport late Tuesday.

Sgt. Tom Shaw says the pilot reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration tower at the airport, and police were notified. KFGO radio reports officers searched the estimated location of the laser pointer but found no one.

Lasers pose a safety risk to planes because they can temporarily blind pilots. Pointing a laser into the cockpit of a plane carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.