Police are investigating after federal authorities said a laser targeted an airplane as it approached a New York City airport.

Police say the Federal Aviation Authority alerted them of the incident at LaGuardia Airport in Queens Monday night.

The plane had been flying over Scarsdale in Westchester when it was apparently hit with the light. The ExpressJet Airlines crew reported seeing a green laser illuminate the aircraft about 12 miles northeast of the airport around 7:45 p.m.

The laser was being shot by someone on the ground.

The plane had departed from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Federal aviation authorities and local police are investigating. No arrests have been made.

Westchester County police sent out a helicopter to search for the person who shot the laser.

(AP)