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Laser From East Sacramento Christmas Light Show Strikes Coast Guard Plane

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – An East Sacramento resident's Christmas light show is apparently to blame for a laser strike on a Coast Guard aircraft, police say.

Sgt. Greg Brown with the Sacramento Police Department's air operations says the Coast Guard reported that one of their aircraft was hit by a green laser while landing at Sacramento International Airport on Wednesday. The light appeared to come from the Sacramento State area.

Officers were sent to investigate and soon found that the light actually came from an automated Christmas display.

"I think this is something becoming maybe a popular type of way to decorate your yard, [but] there's a potential hazard with it if it's pointing to high in the air," Brown said.

Brown says authorities are investigating more and more laser strike incidents.

"We investigate laser strike incidents in the area once or twice a week," Brown said.

While this incident does not appear to be malicious, Brown warns that pointing a laser at an aircraft could potentially have deadly consequences and suspects face serious charges.

"It is a felony crime and we have made arrests for that in the past," Brown said.

More than 1,000 laser strikes have been reported in California this year, the FAA says.

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