CT Sen. Tony Hwang Seeks Answers About Drones Above Fairfield & State
FAIRFIELD, CT — Mysterious drones have recently been spotted in the skies above Stamford, Fairfield and other parts of Connecticut, and state Sen. Tony Hwang (R-28th) wants answers.
At a news conference on Monday at the Fairfield train station, where drones were seen last week, Hwang called on federal and state authorities to be more transparent about where the drones are coming from, and who is flying them.
“I’m extremely concerned that we are not getting information,” Hwang said, adding that he is sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, “asking that federal authorities give facts, explanations and not just reassurances without any answers.”
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Hwang, who represents Fairfield, Bethel, Easton and Newtown, said he has received calls and emails from his constituents seeking answers.
“We seem to be getting reassurances that it’s safe, that they’re benign, but not real facts as to who, and what these drones are,” Hwang said.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Hwang acknowledged and thanked U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes for seeking answers about the drones.
“They have asked the same questions, as well, and they seem to be getting the same reassurances without facts,” Hwang said. “I want to commend them for making that effort on our communities’ behalf.”
Hwang has heard that drone detection technology may be on the way to New York and New Jersey, and he hopes that Connecticut is included in such shipments.
On Thursday, at least five drones were spotted in the area above the Fairfield train station, which reportedly were flying too low to be considered planes.
Over the weekend, drones were seen in Stamford, again, flying too low to have been planes. Stamford police are asking residents to report any such sightings.
“It’s unacceptable,” Hwang said. “The fact that we’ve had sightings last Thursday, and that weeks have gone by since sightings in New York and New Jersey, but we have not gotten an explanation as to who and what these drones are. It’s a breakdown of transparency, trusted communications and answers.”
Hwang is concerned by the possibilities that either the federal government does not know what the drones are for, or that the feds do know but are not sharing the information. Both possible scenarios are alarming, he said.
In New Jersey, residents are being asked to not shoot down drones, and Hwang is concerned that without more answers, people will begin taking matters into their own hands.
“That is the concern,” Hwang said. “That is a big reason why I wanted to have this news conference, absent action, absent guidance, people are going to take actions into their own hands. And that is dangerous. To the general public, please, do not take these situations into your own hands. We do know what’s in [these drones], we don’t know what’s at risk. Let us work in concert with our state agencies and local law enforcement to be able to address this issue.”
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
Click Here: 2021 Soccer Tracksuit