Last night, Mayor Eric Adams took to social media to issue a statement concerning the drones spotted in New York City over the past month. “We are aware of concerns from New Yorkers regarding drone sightings” the mayor said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “and want to assure the public that we are actively investigating the matter in close collaboration with federal, state, and local partners in New York and New Jersey.” Adams also said that according to law enforcement there is no “public safety threat, national security concern, or any foreign involvement” associated with the drones, a sentiment that was echoed by governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Police in their own statements on the matter, also issued yesterday.
In New York, sightings have been reported in Staten Island, the Bronx, Queens, and north of the city in Rockland County. The unmanned aerial vehicles have also been spotted in other states across the northeast, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Over 3,000 such sightings have been reported since mid-November as of last Friday, according to CBS News – over homes, reservoirs, and even military installations. Sometimes they have flashing red or green lights, sometimes white, and local authorities have reported that the machines have gone dark and evaded them when approached by helicopter.
While Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, and federal officials like national security spokesman John Kirby have assured the public that they have no reason to believe that the drones pose a threat, others are more skeptical. “Until you know the origin and what these drones’ intent is, how can you tell me there’s no imminent threat?” said Mayor Tony Perry of Middletown, New Jersey in an interview with CNN on Thursday. In a statement on X yesterday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said that he is also dissatisfied with the federal government’s response so far, calling it “entirely unacceptable.”
Hogan was also perplexed as to what difficulty authorities are having in determining the source and purpose of the drones. “The government has the ability to track these from their point of origin but has mounted a negligent response,” Hogan said on X. “People are rightfully clamoring for answers, but aren’t getting any.” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with CBS News on Thursday, saying that “at a minimum, you should be following these drones to see who’s flying them and where they land, and then get them when they land.” The senator also pointed out ways that the drones could be captured “without endangering a population,” like traps and nets.
Gillibrand, along with New York Senator Chuck Schumer and both New Jersey senators, Corey Booker and Andy Kim, have sent a letter to DHS, the FAA, and the FBI demanding a briefing on the situation.
