FBI joins hunt for helicopter shooter

The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office is calling on the public for help finding a suspect involved in the November shooting of an aircraft in Smithville.

Authorities said deputies responded Nov. 10 to the Smithville-Crawford Municipal Airport after a helicopter contracted by BlueBonnet Electric Cooperative was struck from below with a bullet while conducting surveying flights. An investigation revealed evidence suggesting the aircraft was hit by a high-powered firearm aimed directly toward its underside.

Joined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, officials are searching for the source of the bullet and are asking for assistance in locating the individual responsible for endangering the lives of the helicopter’s two occupants.