Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, speaks on the Florida Freedom Summit on the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida in 2023. Picture by Joe Marino/UPI | License Picture
Dec. 15 (UPI) — Amid widespread experiences of “unusual lights” within the New Jersey sky, former Gov. Chris Christie stated he noticed drones above his residence and needs an investigation.
“That was a drone over my home, and I’ve by no means seen something like that earlier than and I have been dwelling at that home for 30 years,” Christie stated on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
The lights and drone sightings over New Jersey have prompted safety considerations and potential security threats. Christie and others have known as for an investigation.
The New Jersey lights thriller continues to swirl as two males have been arrested Saturday afternoon on a trespassing cost after a drone got here “dangerously shut” to Logan Worldwide Airport in Boston, police stated in a press release.
Boston police situated the Unmanned Plane System close to the airport and used high-tech monitoring gear to trace its operator to the largely uninhabited Boston Harbor Island often known as Lengthy Island.
Town’s Harbor Patrol Unit was dispatched to the island and located three individuals contained in the decommissioned Lengthy Island Well being Campus, police stated. The suspects fled on foot, however two have been captured and a drone was discovered inside one suspect’s backpack. The third individual is believed to have fled in a small boat, and police proceed their search.
The previous N.J. governor has known as on officers to provide state police the authority to “carry these drones down and discover out why they’re doing what they’re doing,” he continued on the Sunday information program. “You’ll be able to see why individuals are involved, and it is a lack of communication from the federal government on the federal and state stage that is at fault right here.”
Federal officers have sought to reassure the general public. Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Majorkas additionally stated on “This Week” that the federal authorities helps the New Jersey State Police examine.
“I need to guarantee the American public we’re on it. We’re working in shut coordination with state and native authorities,” he stated.
He stated federal officers have discovered no proof of overseas involvement within the lights. He added that there are at the very least 1,000,000 drones registered to fly within the U.S., and that hundreds may very well be flying at one time, implying that the drone exercise over New Jersey just isn’t out of the norm.
The FAA modified flight guidelines about drones in 2023 in order that operators can fly the craft at night time.
Christie acknowledged the rising significance of drones for commerce and legislation enforcement within the U.S. however added that they should be operated safely and with the general public’s information.
“We’d like to have the ability to function in a protected method and we’re not doing that,” he stated Sunday.
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., rode with a Clinton Township police officer to see the lights.
“We’re seeing numerous totally different drones, in all probability 4 or 5 that we are able to see proper now at any given time flying low over the ridge line right here,” Kim stated on social media whereas on the trip alongside.
In a social media publish, President-elect Donald Trump known as on the federal government to be extra clear in regards to the New Jersey drone exercise, and to supply extra info if they’ve it. “Let the general public know, and now. In any other case, shoot them down!!!” Trump wrote on Reality Social.