We’re so, so sad to have to report this — more deaths are coming in from this weekend’s horrific white nationalist demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia.
On Saturday evening, two Virginia State Police troopers were killed after their helicopter crashed in Albemarle County near Charlottesville.
The crash took place while they were performing duties monitoring crowd control and public safety issues concerning Saturday’s white supremacist demonstrations in the city.
Related: Victim, Terrorist Identified In Saturday’s Vehicle Attack
The two troopers have been identified as H. Jay Cullen of Midlothian, Virginia, and Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Virginia, both of the Richmond area.
Trooper-Pilot Cullen was 48 years old. Trooper-Pilot Bates was 40.
According to Susan Rowland, the Virginia State Police Public Relations Coordinator, the pair’s helicopter sustained some kind of malfunction and crashed in a wooded area near a home just before 5:00 p.m. local time, and added:
“The Bell 407 helicopter was assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation in Charlottesville.”
So sad.
Our thoughts and prayers are with both State Troopers, who died trying to protect Charlottesville from hate, bigotry, and violence.
[Image via Virginia State Police.]
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