Two Atlanta Police officers have been killed in a helicopter crash near the intersection of Martin Luther King & Hamilton E. Holmes drives on Atlanta's west side late Saturday.
A local NBC affiliate 11Alive reported that Atlanta Police Chief George Turner confirmed the death of the police officers who said the helicopter was involved in a search for a missing 9-year-old boy when the crash happened at about 10:30 p.m. Police chief said the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
"One of our helicopters went down and two officers were killed," police spokesman Carlos Campos told Reuters; however, he refused to elaborate further on the incident. No other injuries were reported on the ground.
According to witnesses, the helicopter was flying low to help the officers to conduct a more thorough search but hit power lines before it crashed to the ground. The officers, whose names were not released, were assisting in the search mission of a child who was later found to be safe.
"Losing an officer is the most difficult thing a police chief can face," Turner was quoted as saying in CNN. "Losing two is an unthinkable tragedy. Our hearts go out to the families of these officers and our thoughts and prayers are with them. This is a difficult day. It is a reminder of their bravery and the sacrifices made by our officers every day."
The crash also resulted in a power outage to 1,300 Georgia Power customers and a power crew was reportedly called to the scene to restore power.
