Man convicted for shooting at LAPD helicopter with AR-15 rifle
A 62-year-old man has been convicted of firing an AR-15 rifle at a Los Angeles police helicopter. Douglass Byers shot the aircraft while it hovered over a populated area, narrowly missing critical control systems. The incident has raised concerns about public safety and the risks to airborne officers.
On the day of the attack, Byers fired the rifle from his backyard, where police later recovered spent shells. A single bullet struck the helicopter's tail, coming close to damaging its rotor blades or windshield. LAPD Captain Mike Bland warned that even one well-placed shot could have caused a catastrophic crash.
Byers admitted to purchasing the weapon in Cleveland and transporting it to California by train, claiming it was for self-defence. However, his criminal record includes multiple felony convictions, legally barring him from owning firearms. His mother later told authorities that he had been battling terminal cancer and behaving erratically before the shooting. A jury found him guilty on two counts of assault on a peace officer and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Investigators noted that no similar attacks on LAPD helicopters had been recorded since the Anthony Whitsey incident in November 2023.
Byers now faces a potential sentence of up to 43 years in prison. The case highlights the dangers of illegal firearm possession and the vulnerability of law enforcement aircraft. His sentencing date has yet to be announced.
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