National Guard pilot grounded amid probe into helicopter flying over DC protesters
By Kaelan Deese - 06/06/20 12:34 PM EDT
The Department of Defense said Friday it had grounded one of the National Guard helicopter pilots who performed low-flying maneuvers to disperse crowds of protesters in Washington, D.C., on Monday evening, according to multiple reports.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that the helicopter crew was grounded pending results from an internal investigation, according to local CBS affiliate WUSA9. A Pentagon spokesman told the outlet that the move was standard procedure during such investigations.
The aircraft was one of two Army National Guard helicopters that hovered between 100-300 feet above the streets of the District on Monday night, according to an aircraft tracker. Flurries of gusts from their helicopter blades were aimed at dispersing crowds of protesters.
Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, said in a statement on Wednesday he had "directed an immediate investigation into the June 1 incident."
"I hold all members of the District of Columbia National Guard to the highest of standards," Walker said. "We live and work in the District, and we are dedicated to the service of our nation."
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https://thehill.com/policy/defense/501469-national-guard-pilot-grounded-amid-probe-into-helicopter-flying-over-dc
