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Arizona DPS Identifies 2 Killed in Flagstaff Helicopter Crash During Active-Shooter Response

Investigators are focused on determining what caused the DPS Ranger to go down.

Overview

  • Authorities named Agent Hunter R. Bennett, 28, and pilot Robert Skankey, 61, as the AZDPS crew members who died.
  • The Bell 407 crashed near Flagstaff around 10:15 p.m. and sparked a post-impact fire while assisting a multi-agency operation.
  • Police say the confrontation began with a domestic violence call, the suspect fired from multiple rooftops for nearly two hours, and he was taken into custody with non-fatal gunshot wounds.
  • The helicopter underwent its last inspection on January 29, and the FAA and NTSB are conducting an active safety investigation.
  • Flagstaff officers and an AZDPS employee discharged their weapons during the incident, and no additional injuries were reported.