US arrests man who shone laser pointer at Trump helicopter

The Secret Service has arrested a man on suspicion of shining a laser pointer at Marine One as the helicopter with US President Donald Trump on board took off from the White House. This was reported by the TV channel NBC News.

The incident occurred Saturday night after uniformed Secret Service officer Diego Santiago saw a shirtless man "talking to himself and speaking loudly" on Constitution Avenue, right next to the Ellipse, according to court documents.

Due to the lack of light on the sidewalk, Officer Santiago shined his flashlight on [the suspect] for further observation. The suspect "then directed a red laser beam at Officer Santiago's face, apparently in retaliation. The red laser beam struck Officer Santiago's eyes and briefly disoriented him," the statement said .

The officer approached a man later identified as Jacob Samuel Winkler, who "pointed the same red laser pointer in the direction of Marine One and activated the red laser beam".

A Secret Service official said he knew it was "dangerous for Marine One and everyone on board".

The documents state that "the (suspect's) behavior posed a risk of flash blindness and pilot disorientation, especially while flying at low altitudes near other helicopters (U.S. Park Police, U.S. Marines) and the Washington Monument".

Officer Santiago detained the man, took the pointer out of his hand and handcuffed him.

The suspect then knelt down and started saying things like: "I have to apologize to Donald Trump" and "I apologize to Donald Trump". Investigators said he was also carrying a fixed-blade knife.

• On September 18, it was reported that a Spirit Airlines passenger plane came dangerously close to a Boeing 747 on which President Trump was flying to London. The incident occurred in the skies of New York.