Arrest warrant issued for man accused of temporarily blinding police sergeant

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man blamed for causing temporary partial blindness to a Kansas City Police Sergeant.

Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Friday, June 20, indicate that Saadiq I. Thompson, 26, of Kansas City, has been charged in connection with the incident.

A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City Police Department revealed that around 8:15 p.m. on May 7, law enforcement officials were made aware that someone had been pointing a laser at officers from a nearby building.

An officer reported that while he was on duty and headed back to the Center Patrol Station, he saw green in his eyes. He knew it to be a laser, but was unsure if it had been attached to a firearm.

Meanwhile, a sergeant said he had just gotten off duty and was inside his personal vehicle when it illuminated green. From his time as a helicopter pilot, he knew this to be a laser, but was also not sure if it was affixed to a gun.

This sergeant indicated that he reported the incident to other law enforcement officials in the area, as a second sergeant took notice. Both law enforcement officials noticed that the laser had been tracking the sergeant’s vehicle.

Investigators noted that the beam could be seen coming from an apartment inside a building at 1224 E. Linwood Blvd., which towers over the parking lot to the police station. At this point, a third sergeant who was on duty was called to investigate.

The on-duty sergeant reported that as soon as she went outside to investigate, her eye was burned by the laser. As a result, she was partially blinded for the next 24 hours.

When first responders got to the apartment in question, they said they found it belonged to Thompson, who allowed them to search the apartment and handed over a green laser pointer. He was not taken into custody at the time.

Court documents revealed that a warrant was issued for Thompson’s arrest on Thursday with a $10,000 bond attached. He has been charged with four counts of using a laser pointer, crimes that could net him a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison and an $80,000 fine.

As of Friday afternoon, June 27, Thompson has not yet been taken into custody. A court appearance has not been set.