FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) – A helicopter responding to assist officers in Arizona with an active shooter situation crashed, killing both the pilot and a trooper who was a paramedic on board, authorities said.

Sgt. Kameron Lee with the Arizona Department of Public Safety said its Ranger Helicopter was called to help Flagstaff Police and other law enforcement Wednesday night to act as air support.

“Tragically, during the incident, the helicopter crashed, killing both the pilot and the trooper/paramedic on board,” Lee said.

The names of the trooper and pilot have not been released. It is unclear what led to the crash.

The suspect in the officer-involved shooting suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was taken into custody. That person’s identity has not been released.

No one else was hurt in the response, DPS said.

Amanda Brewer, who lives in the area, said she heard three gunshots followed by two around 8:40 p.m. and then called 911. She said officers on the ground arrived within minutes.

She said she then heard between 15 and 20 gunshots.

Brewer said she could hear the DPS helicopter above her house just after 10 p.m. and more gunshots after that.

“You could hear the blades going,” she said. “Then there was a very large crash; it shook the house. It was startling.”

Brewer said there was quite a big fire in the forest behind her house. She added that she heard more gunshots after the crash.

DPS will be working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board on the crash investigation, Lee said. Emails seeking information on the crash were sent to both agencies early Thursday.

Copyright 2026 KPHO via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.