The Pierce County prosecutor may file charges against KING-TV's news director and helicopter pilot because the station's chopper allegedly interfered with the investigation into the fatal shootings of four Lakewood police officers, said Ed Troyer of the sheriff's office.

"They've hampered the investigation three times today; they've slowed us down," Troyer told reporters gathered near the shooting scene.

"If that helicopter shows up again, you're all out of here," he said, urging other media to call KING.

"We need you, and we need the public's help, but we also can't risk having other people get hurt and having our operations jeopardized by a helicopter -- which we've had three or four conversations with the news station and they don't seem to care or understand or acknowledge the issue," Troyer said.

KING-TV News Director Mark Ginther said he did not know why Troyer would say the station's helicopter interfered with the investigation.

"Each time I heard directly from him, we moved our helicopter," Ginther said, adding, "we complied with the FAA regulations over the airspace."