Two Arizona Department of Public Safety crew members died Wednesday night when a Ranger helicopter crashed near Flagstaff while supporting law enforcement responding to an active shooting, authorities said.
The police helicopter was providing tactical air support to Flagstaff Police Department officers and other agencies when it went down, killing the pilot and a trooper/paramedic who were the only people on board. Police said officers had been involved in a shooting with a suspect prior to the crash.
The crash occurred west of downtown Flagstaff, and the cause has not been determined. Identities of those involved have not been released as of Thursday morning. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation into the shooting, while the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are participating in the investigation of the helicopter crash.
Area resident Amanda Brewer said she heard multiple gunshots before and after the police helicopter arrived overhead.
“You could hear the blades going,” Brewer told CBS News. “Then there was a very large crash; it shook the house. It was startling.”
Authorities said no additional injuries were reported and that the suspect was taken into custody following the incident.
