A comprehensive resource for safe and responsible laser use

US: Journalist describes being hit in eye with suspected pepper ball round in Portland (not a laser)

On July 26 2020 during the Portland, Oregon attacks on the federal courthouse, a photojournalist suffered eye hemorrhages requiring hospitalization after being shot by federal agents.

Trip Jennings had worked at protests around the world. His photos and videos have appeared in National Geographic and PBS.

In Portland, he said he was walking away following a dispersal order. He had his camera above his head so security forces could see he was a journalist, "but as soon as I turned around just a little bit, they shot me in the face…. I got hit right in the eye. I remember seeing the lens of my gas mask shatter and then closing my eye and just blood inside of my mask." He believes agents shot him with a pepper ball.

He did not lose vision in the eye which was shot.

From CNN and Business Insider

Note: This story is part of our occasional coverage of eye injuries at protests which were not caused by a laser. This is because the number of actual or claimed laser eye injuries at protests (generally inflicted on police or security forces) is vastly outnumbered by actual or claimed eye injuries to protesters, journalists and bystanders (generally caused by police or security forces). In our view, no one should aim a laser or projectile at anyone's eye or head during protests, demonstrations and civil unrest.

US: Ophthalmologists cite 20 eye injuries from U.S. protests (not a laser)

A June 19 2020 press release from the American Academy of Ophthalmology was titled "Eye Injuries During Protests Are an Emerging Public Health Problem." The AAO called for a ban on rubber bullets used on protesters "after more than 20 Americans across the country suffered serious eye injuries while peacefully protesting." The article had statistics about the injuries:
  • 7 persons lost an eye, "with additional patients undergoing surgery to save their eye"
  • Persons who lost an eye ranged in age from 21 to 37 years
  • Persons with an eye injury ranged in age from 16 to 59 years
  • Injuries were caused by rubber bullets, bean bag rounds, pepper balls, a tear gas canister, and a corneal injury from a taser.
AAO listed seven other medical organizations that support the AAO's statement on rubber bullets.

In addition, the AAO press release had links to stories about eye injuries during protests in Kashmir, Chile and Hong Kong.

On June 3 2020, AAO issued a statement condemning rubber bullet usage, and giving tips on eye protection from projectiles and from tear gas. They noted that tear gas "typically doesn’t cause irreversible eye injuries, but tear gas has caused serious eye injuries, including hyphema, uveitis, necrotizing keratitis, coagulative necrosis, symblepharon, secondary glaucoma, cataracts and traumatic optic neuropathy and loss of sight."

A day later AAO provided information, social media handles, photos and graphics in a post called "Help Us Stop Rubber Bullets Before They Blind More People."

2020-07-08 AAO eyes injured in protests squashed
Graphic tweeted by AAO

Note: This story is part of our occasional coverage of eye injuries at protests which were not caused by a laser. This is because the number of actual or claimed laser eye injuries at protests (generally inflicted on police or security forces) is vastly outnumbered by actual or claimed eye injuries to protesters, journalists and bystanders (generally caused by police or security forces). In our view, no one should aim a laser or projectile at anyone's eye or head during protests, demonstrations and civil unrest.

US: FBI uses sophisticated surveillance to catch Portland man who lased ~25 aircraft

Multiple police and government agencies, led by the FBI, flew airplanes and installed surveillance cameras, in a sophisticated attempt to find the person who had aimed a laser pointer at aircraft over 25 times. The story, which reads like a spy novel, is laid out in an application for a search warrant that was filed by the FBI October 17 2013 with the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.

The operation was initiated in August 2013, after multiple incidents of lasers being aimed at aircraft around Portland International Airport. Four law enforcement aircraft were equipped with video surveillance cameras.

On August 10, five aircraft were targeted by a ground-based green laser. One was an Alaska Airlines flight; two were from the FBI and two were from the Portland Police Bureau. At the same time, a surveillance team was on the ground. Using information from the FBI/PBB aircraft sightings, the ground officers observed suspicious behavior from a male in the back yard of a duplex apartment. He was looking up at the sky. He removed something mounted from a stand or pole, and went inside. The laser strikes ceased afterwards.

Six days later, after reviewing the video, consulting Google Earth and Google Maps, and visiting the apartment complex, an FBI Special Agent determined that Apartment 35 -- the one previously surveilled -- was the most likely source of the laser. The apartment was occupied by 39-year-old Stephen Francis Bukucs.

Surveillance cameras were then secretly installed, watching Apartment 35. They could see in daylight, low light and nighttime (using infrared).
Click to read more...