@NBCNews Crazy tactics by the police at a Penn State tailgate yesterday. Looks like FAA regulations were broken when a police helicopter flew down low to take out tailgates. Very unsafe as the police had mounted horses and the kids could have been trampled. pic.twitter.com/9w2isiBkjp
— Scott Olson (@beammeup67) October 1, 2018
How did the Pennsylvania State Police handle the crazy tailgating deemed to be too out of control before Saturday’s game against Ohio State? They called in a police helicopter to disperse commands and, from video that has surfaced, they destroyed tents and threw debris into the air that flew into tailgaters who were minding their own business. Those there estimate the helicopter was flying approximately 30 feet off the ground.
In the video below you can see the police helicopter take out about a dozen tents before flying away from the area.
From Onward State:
The Pennsylvania State Police was called to assist in response to a large-scale party that was getting out of hand, creating a risk to persons and property. First, the tailgaters ignored commands to disperse from law enforcement on the ground.
Then PSP deployed personnel, including the Pennsylvania State Police Tactical Mounted Unit. The crowd began to turn unruly and two PSP horses were assaulted and a trooper was injured. Ground units pulled back in an effort to deescalate the situation.
Following this incident, the Pennsylvania State Police Aviation Unit was called to assist. A helicopter was utilized to issue commands to disperse via loudspeaker. When personnel on scene noticed the helicopter was low enough to disturb items on the ground, the helicopter pulled up to a higher altitude.
The PSP Tactical Mounted Unit and the Aviation Section routinely provide assistance at events like this when large crowds are expected.
The state police have spent the day trying to get their message out about why they were flying so low. The problem: they flew too low and the destruction happened.
According to the statement, State Police was called in “to issue commands to disperse via loudspeaker” after ground efforts had failed. When personnel notice the helicopter was “low enough to disturb items on the ground,” it was pulled up to a higher altitude. The statement said interventions like this are routine for the Tactical Mounted Unit and the Aviation Section when there are large crowds.
It is rare to resort to these expanded interventions; however, when all other warnings … on the ground were ignored, a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter was deployed as another tool to compel the group to disperse and curb dangerous and unruly behavior. pic.twitter.com/l2CE9tqkvt
— Penn State University Police and Public Safety (@PennStatePolice) October 1, 2018
