The FBI is investigating the shooting of a military helicopter that took place early Monday morning during a training mission in Northern Virginia.
The FBI said it has launched an investigation after U.S. Air Force UH-1N Huey helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing at a Virginia airport after someone shot at it, injuring a member of the crew.
The Air Force helicopter was flying over Middleburg on Monday when it was shot from the ground nearby, according to authorities. The helicopter made an emergency landing at the Manassas Regional Airport, and federal agents were called to the scene to investigate, the FBI said in a statement.
On Monday afternoon, the helicopter from the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Joint Base Andrews was flying a routine training mission over Middleburg, Virginia, at an altitude of 1,000 feet when it took fire from the ground, the FBI said in a statement.
“The crew member “sustained a non-threatening injury, for which he was treated and subsequently released from the hospital,” said a spokesperson for the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
“The FBI Washington Field Office (WFO) dispatched special agents and its Evidence Response Team to the Manassas Airport after receiving reports that a helicopter was shot at from the ground nearby,” said the FBI spokesperson.
“WFO is working jointly with our law enforcement partners, including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” said the spokesperson.
In a release, the Air Force said: “Initial findings are that the helicopter was struck by a bullet resulting in a minor injury to an aircrew member and damage to the aircraft.”
“The Office of Special Investigations is fully engaged with our FBI colleagues on this incident. OSI take threats to our Airmen and our resources very seriously. As this is an ongoing investigation, no further investigative details can be released at this time,” Joint Base Andrews said.