An alarming video reveals what police say was an out of control tailgating party at Penn State, and they called for a helicopter unit to disperse the crowd but while flying low it sent debris flying into the air.
Pennsylvania State Police say they tried to disband the rowdy crowd on Saturday using mounted troopers on the ground.
‘First, the tailgaters ignored commands to disperse from law enforcement on the ground,’ Cpl. Adam Reed, spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Police said. ‘The crowd began to turn unruly and two PSP horses were assaulted and a trooper was injured.’
When the state police decided to call in their aviation unit, the helicopter hovered an estimated 30-feet off the ground with an officer using a loud speaker to tell the crowd to disperse, according to PA Live.
As the Pennsylvania State Police sent the chopped into disperse the tailgate crowd, everything seemed to be going smoothly
So low: The Pennsylvania State Police said the helicopter was flying low so the crowd could hear their instructions over the loud speaker to disperse but instead it sent debris flying
Once the chopper was directly overhead with the tents, grills and people, the wind from the propellers sent everything dangerously flying into the air
Tents were ripped from the ground and sent flying as the state police chopper flew dangerously close to the crowds
However, the helicopter’s down force wind from its propellers sent debris dangerously flying in all directions.
The chopper sent tents, grills, debris and even revelers around as it hovered about the tailgate at Beaver Stadium before the Penn State’s Whiteout game against rival Ohio State.
Once the state police saw debris flying around over the 500 persons party, they alerted the aviation unit to go to a higher altitude.
The Pennsylvania State Police say once they saw the debris being kicked up- they ordered the chopper to a higher elevation
The PSP said flying the helicopter so low was meant for the officers to be able to issue commands to the crowd from the air- they said their intention never was to disturb items on the ground.
‘When personnel on the scene noticed the helicopter was low enough to disturb items on the ground, the helicopter pulled up to a higher altitude,’ Reed said.
One person was arrested during the melee and the crowd dispersed soon after the helicopter incident.
It is typical to have the Tactical Mounted Unit and Aviation Section called in to assist in events with large crowds, Reed added.