In the early hours of November 30, 1989, an extraordinary event unfolded above a New York City apartment building. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a bright light emanating from a saucer-shaped craft hovering near the Brooklyn Bridge. Among these witnesses was Janet Kimball, whose car mysteriously stalled on the bridge, giving her a front-row view of what appeared to be people levitating upward into the craft before it disappeared into the East River.

The central figure in this incident was Linda Napolitano, who described being taken from her 12th-floor apartment by small humanoid beings with large heads and black eyes. She recalled floating through her window and ascending in a beam of light into a craft where she underwent some form of examination. The case gained significant attention when two police officers came forward with their account of witnessing the abduction, eventually contacting renowned artist and UFO investigator Bud Hopkins, who was already familiar with Linda through his abductee support groups.

Key Takeaways

A UFO incident near the Brooklyn Bridge in 1989 was reported by 23 witnesses including Janet Kimball whose car stalled during the event.
Linda Napolitano described being taken from her apartment by small humanoid beings and examined aboard a craft.
Two police officers who witnessed the event later contacted UFO researcher Bud Hopkins and personally visited Linda to discuss their shared experience.

Janet Kimball's Experience

Janet Kimball's late-night drive across the Brooklyn Bridge took an unexpected turn, becoming one of the most documented UFO incidents in New York City history. Her testimony provides crucial third-party verification of events that occurred in the early morning hours of November 30, 1989.

Vehicle Breakdown on Brooklyn Bridge

Just after 3:00 AM on November 30, 1989, Janet Kimball was driving across the Brooklyn Bridge when her car suddenly stalled. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the vehicle, her car rolled to a stop. This mechanical failure would place her in position to witness something extraordinary. Ms. Kimball remained in her vehicle, likely assessing her options for roadside assistance at that late hour.

Observation of Disc-Shaped Aircraft

While stranded on the bridge, Kimball noticed an intensely bright light that forced her to shield her eyes. Her first impression was that someone was filming a movie—not an unusual occurrence in New York City. However, as she looked more carefully, she realized the light was emanating from a saucer-shaped craft hovering above a nearby apartment building. What initially seemed like a film production quickly revealed itself as something far more unusual.

Floating Individuals and Multiple Witnesses

As Kimball's vision adjusted to the brightness, she observed what appeared to be objects levitating in the beam of light. Upon closer inspection, she realized these weren't objects at all—they were people being transported upward toward the craft. According to reports, this incredible event was observed by 23 witnesses in total, including one high-ranking political figure. The presence of multiple witnesses, particularly those of notable social standing, adds significant credibility to Kimball's account.

Craft's Submersion in East River

In an instant, the bright light vanished, and the craft plunged directly into the East River. This sudden disappearance marked the end of the visual encounter for Kimball and other witnesses. The craft's dive into the water represents one of the most unusual aspects of this case—an alleged UFO choosing water submersion rather than ascending into the sky. This detail distinguishes the incident from typical UFO reports and raises questions about the craft's capabilities and purpose.

Linda Napolitano's Alien Encounter

Bedroom Visitation

On November 30, 1989, shortly after 3:00 AM, Linda Napolitano was drifting to sleep in her New York City apartment when she experienced an unusual numbness beginning in her feet. The sensation gradually spread upward through her body. Upon opening her eyes, Linda observed several small, pale humanoid beings with large round heads and black eyes standing around her bed. Despite her attempts to alert her husband who lay beside her, he remained unresponsive as the numbness reached her neck, immobilizing her completely.

Linda tried to scream for help, but heard a voice in her mind commanding her to remain quiet. The beings appeared to communicate telepathically with her, preventing her from making any sound. As her panic intensified, the creatures approached closer to her bedside.

Floating Through the Window

The entities levitated Linda from her bed, causing her to float through her bedroom and into the living room. She drifted alongside the silent creatures, who seemed to guide her movement. In a moment that defied physical reality, Linda passed through the window of her 12th-floor apartment, somehow moving through the security bars that had been installed outside.

Suspended high above the ground, Linda recalled thinking with terror that she might fall. A bright blue-white light surrounded her and the small beings. Together, they ascended slowly toward a saucer-shaped craft hovering above her apartment building. The entire scene was witnessed by at least 23 people, including a woman named Janet Kimball whose car had stalled on the Brooklyn Bridge, providing a direct view of the extraordinary event.

Journey Through the Vessel

Once inside the craft, the entities escorted Linda down a corridor lined with benches. As they proceeded, she observed various rooms with doors that hissed open and closed automatically. The beings communicated among themselves in an unfamiliar language that Linda could not understand.

The hallway appeared to be well-lit, with a clinical, sterile appearance. Linda noticed the creatures moved with purpose, guiding her deeper into the vessel. Their movements were coordinated and deliberate as they led her through the ship's interior toward their apparent destination.

Medical Examination and Communication

The beings brought Linda to a brightly illuminated room containing a long table in the center. The sight of this examination table triggered intense fear in Linda, who began screaming mentally, "What do you want from me?" Strangely, the words that came from her mouth were in the aliens' language, though she had no conscious knowledge of speaking it.

One of the entities placed a hand over her mouth to quiet her. The beings then proceeded with a medical procedure, inserting a long instrument into her right nostril. After this examination, one creature approached Linda and gently stroked her hair, placing a warm hand on her cheek. When she asked why she had been taken, the being simply replied, "Just for a visit."

Home Return and Aftermath

Suddenly, Linda regained mobility. She sat up on the table, heard a loud roaring sound, and found herself back in her bed. Panicked, she attempted to wake her husband Steve, but he remained completely unresponsive. Overcome with fear for her children, Linda rushed to her sons' bedroom where she found her two young boys similarly unresponsive.

Sobbing and frantic, Linda tried to wake her youngest son Johnny, even placing a mirror under his nose to confirm he was breathing. For several hours afterward, Linda was unable to wake any family member from their unnaturally deep sleep. The experience left her deeply shaken, prompting her to later seek support from UFO researcher Bud Hopkins, who would eventually receive independent confirmation of her experience from witnesses including two police officers who had observed the entire abduction from their patrol car near the FDR Drive.

Budd Hopkins and His UFO Investigation Work

Portrait of a Prominent Investigator

Budd Hopkins established himself not only as a distinguished artist with works featured in prestigious institutions like the Guggenheim, Whitney, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum, but also as a leading authority on unidentified flying objects. His abstract expressionist artwork earned him international recognition in fine art circles.

Beyond his artistic career, Hopkins became renowned for his meticulous investigation of alien abduction cases. He authored several influential books including bestsellers "Intruders" and "Missing Time." His compassionate approach to witnesses led him to host regular support groups in his home for people who believed they had experienced extraterrestrial encounters.

Correspondence from Law Enforcement Officers

In February 1991, Hopkins received an extraordinary letter from two police officers identified only as Dan and Richard. The officers described witnessing a dramatic event around 3:30 a.m. in late November 1989 while parked under the FDR Drive in New York City.

Their letter detailed observing:

A strange oval craft hovering over an apartment building
A bright blue light emanating from the object
A woman in a white nightgown floating in mid-air within a beam of light
Three small humanoid entities escorting the woman through a window
The craft descending into the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge

The officers expressed significant distress over the incident, writing: "The guilt has lingered and we find it difficult living with ourselves." They debated whether to contact the woman they had witnessed being taken.

Linda Napolitano's Connection to the Case

Hopkins immediately recognized the woman described in the officers' letter as Linda Napolitano, who had been attending his support groups. Linda had previously reported an abduction experience occurring on November 30, 1989, around 3 a.m. from her Manhattan apartment.

Approximately two weeks after receiving the letter, Linda contacted Hopkins in an agitated state. She reported that two men identifying themselves as detectives Richard and Dan had visited her apartment around 11 p.m. During their 30-minute conversation, Linda described how her husband and children had been put into such a deep sleep during her abduction that she couldn't wake them for hours afterward.

According to Linda, Richard appeared nervous and nearly broke down in tears during their conversation. Though Linda requested the officers contact Hopkins directly, they expressed discomfort with this suggestion. Later, Hopkins received a follow-up communication from the officers that included an audio tape with a brief note describing Linda as "a darling little lady."

Two Police Officers' Account of the UFO Incident

Observations from Under FDR Drive

At approximately 3:30 a.m. in late November 1989, Officers Dan and Richard were stationed in their patrol car beneath the elevated FDR Drive in New York City. They witnessed an extraordinary event that would haunt them for years to come. The officers observed a strange oval-shaped craft hovering above an apartment building two or three blocks from their location.

A bright blue light emanated from the bottom of the craft, illuminating the night sky. Officer Dan called to his partner, who shared his astonishment at the sight. Both officers considered exiting their vehicle but were frozen by what they saw next.

In the beam of bluish-white light, they observed what appeared to be a woman in a full white nightgown, levitating in midair. The officers watched as three small humanoid entities escorted this individual through a window of the apartment building. The beam lifted the woman into the oval craft, which then descended into the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge and did not resurface.

Written Communications with Bud Hopkins

In February 1991, the officers sent their first correspondence to Bud Hopkins, a renowned artist and UFO investigator. In their letter, they described the incident in detail, expressing profound guilt about not intervening. They questioned whether they should locate the woman they saw being taken, mentioning they knew both the building and the specific window involved.

The officers later provided Hopkins with an audio recording, attaching a note describing Linda as "a darling little lady." This communication came after they had visited Linda Napolitano at her apartment around 11 p.m. one evening. During this unexpected visit, they identified themselves as detectives and showed badges.

During their 30-minute conversation, Officer Richard displayed emotional distress, nearly breaking down in tears. Officer Dan remained more reserved and distant throughout the interaction. The officers listened as Linda recounted her experience, including how her husband and children had been rendered unconscious during the event. Despite Linda's request for them to contact Hopkins directly, they declined, expressing discomfort with making that connection themselves.

Further Developments

Linda's Unexpected Late-Night Visitors

On a November evening in 1991, Linda Napolitano received a surprising knock at her door around 11 PM. Through her peephole, she observed two men in dark suits who identified themselves as detectives and displayed badges. These visitors were Richard and Dan—the same officers who had witnessed her abduction experience and later contacted Bud Hopkins about it.

During their half-hour conversation, Linda noted different demeanors between the two officers. Dan maintained a distant, standoffish attitude, while Richard appeared friendly though visibly nervous. At one point during their discussion, Richard became emotional, nearly breaking into tears.

Linda shared details about her experience, including how her husband and children had been in such a profound sleep following the incident that she couldn't wake them. She was so concerned about her youngest son that she placed a mirror under his nose to confirm he was still breathing.

Before departing, Linda suggested they contact Bud Hopkins directly, but the officers expressed discomfort with this idea and declined.

Subsequent Communication with Bud Hopkins

The interaction with Linda wasn't the end of Richard and Dan's involvement. Following their visit to her apartment, they sent another letter to Bud Hopkins that included an audio recording. Their message was brief but revealing: "We're hoping this audio tape is satisfactory. We don't know how well but use it as you wish. We'll keep in touch."

The officers added a personal note about Linda in their postscript, describing her as "a darling little lady." This communication demonstrated their ongoing interest in the case and willingness to provide evidence to Hopkins, despite their professional concerns about being publicly associated with a UFO investigation.

The officers' decision to visit Linda personally represented a significant development in the case, as it connected previously separate witness accounts and confirmed details of the November 1989 incident from multiple perspectives.

The Brooklyn Bridge UFO Abduction: Linda Napolitano's 1989 Alien Encounter