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Man claiming to be Amazon employee questioned for flying drone around Space Needle

Drone pilot showed Seattle police in-flight footage to prove he didn't damage Space Needle.

By Matt Bradwell

SEATTLE, July 24 (UPI) -- Police in Seattle found themselves chasing down an unmanned flying drone Tuesday night after several eyewitnesses noticed it hovering around the Space Needle.

According to Jonah Spangenthal-Lee of the Seattle Police Department, at roughly 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, several visitors to the late-20th century landmark saw the drone hovering around the observation deck and allegedly crash into a window.

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Police and witnesses then watched as the camera-mounted quad-propeller aircraft flew two blocks east of the Space Needle and into a fifth floor window.

Officers followed the drone and discovered it had flown into a hotel, where security staff took police to the unmanned craft's pilot.

The owner of the drone told police he was an Amazon.com employee visiting from out of state and had purchased the drone at a hobby shop. He told police the drone never hit the tourist attraction, or anything, then showed them the footage of the flight to back up his claim.

Police informed the unnamed man of Seattle's recent tumultuous history with drones, and he agreed not to fly it in public while visiting the city.

No visible damage was done to the Space Needle.

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