FBI Urges New Jersey Residents Not To Shoot Unidentified Drones

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned residents of New Jersey on Monday against shooting down drones they cannot identify and pointed out potential legal repercussions and safety hazards.

The FBI and New Jersey State Police issued a warning to the public about the dangers of using lasers against unmanned aircraft. Authorities also warned the public against mistakenly firing at what are presumed to be unmanned aerial systems.

“FBI Newark and New Jersey State Police want to warn the public about an increase in pilots of manned aircraft being hit in the eyes with lasers because people on the ground think they see an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). There is also a concern with people possibly firing weapons at what they believe to be a UAS but could be a manned aircraft,” the press release stated.

“FBI Newark, NJSP, and dozens of other agencies and law enforcement partners have been out every night for several weeks to legally track down operators acting illegally or with nefarious intent and using every available tool and piece of equipment to find the answers the public is seeking. However, there could be dangerous and possibly deadly consequences if manned aircraft are targeted mistakenly as UAS,” the press release added.

The White House provided its most comprehensive briefing yet concerning a spate of drone sightings across the Northeast, CNN reported. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby informed reporters that the observed phenomena likely include a mix of legally operated commercial and hobbyist drones, law enforcement drones, manned aircraft, helicopters, and even celestial bodies mistaken for drones.

“We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircrafts, helicopters, and even stars that were mistakenly reported as drones,” Kirby said, according to CNN.