Shropshire Star

Flaming ‘meteor’ spotted above LA revealed to be publicity stunt

Many residents took to Twitter to share theories over what they had seen.

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The LA stunt

Police in LA have issued a statement after residents were left confused by what appeared to be a large meteor streaking through the sky.

A flame-like object flew over central LA on Wednesday night, leaving locals wondering if it was a rogue firework or a low-flying meteor.

Residents took photos and speculated on Twitter, however police have now reassured people that it was in fact a publicity stunt.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said: “A meteor did not crash into downtown Los Angeles, and no, it’s not an alien invasion… just a film shoot. This is Tinseltown, after all.”

(Michael Clark/Red Bull Content Pool)

Twitter user Dennis Hegstad asked after spotting the lights: “What is this flying item on fire above downtown Los Angeles?”

The stunt, organised by Red Bull, involved a team of skydivers, base jumpers and free-flyers jumping from a helicopter wearing wing-suits covered in LEDs and pyrotechnics.

The company said the stunt aimed to celebrate the third and final supermoon of 2019, which coincided with this year’s spring equinox.

It is the first time a supermoon – a full or new moon that coincides with the closest the moon comes to the Earth in its orbit – has landed on the same day as the spring equinox since 1981.

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