A police helicopter in Louisiana crashed early Sunday morning during a pursuit and two officers were killed.
The two officers were from the Baton Rouge Police Department, according to a tweet by Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome.
On behalf of the City of Baton Rouge, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of the BRPD officers who tragically lost their lives today in a helicopter crash.
— Sharon Weston Broome (@MayorBroome) March 26, 2023
“On behalf of the City of Baton Rouge, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of the BRPD officers who tragically lost their lives today in a helicopter crash,” Broome tweeted. (RELATED: County Sheriff Helicopter Crashes While Responding To Car Crash, 6 People Hospitalized)
The helicopter reportedly took off around 2:26 a.m. and crashed 12 minutes later, according to WBRZ. It was in pursuit of a vehicle that was running away from other officers at the time of the crash. The helicopter was found around 11:30 a.m. when the pilots did not return from work.
BRPD holds press conference about helicopter that went down in Erwinville, two pilots killed
Stream here – https://t.co/7qIPpsQ80t
— WBRZ News (@WBRZ) March 26, 2023
“We ask that the community keep the families of the fallen officers in their thoughts and prayers, and we express our heartfelt gratitude to all of the first responders who have been working tirelessly to support our city during this difficult time,” Broome tweeted.
The crash is being investigated “by multiple law enforcement agencies, as well as other entities that regulate aviation and airspace travel,” according to a Facebook post by the Baton Rouge Police Department.