Rotorwash Sent Tents, Grills Flying Through The Air

A Pennsylvania State Police helicopter was used to break up a tailgate party prior to the Penn State/Ohio State football game on Saturday after police said partiers refused to disperse and became disorderly.

The Onward State blog reports that the aircraft flew within 30 feet of the ground, which caused tents, grills and other objects to go flying through the air.

The party had reportedly gone on all day, and involved members of several fraternities. Late in the day, police came back and told the tailgaters to disperse, but they refused to do so. Scott Olson, who is a parent of a Penn State student and also part of the party, said there was no fighting or big disruption at the party, and had not been any problems all day. Olson said his Mercedes-Benz truck was scratched by a flying tent, and he saw a girl who had a cut on her face from flying debris. He said he plans to file a police report about the incident.

The Penn State Police on Monday issued a statement concerning the incident. "We understand concerns have been raised regarding police activity during tailgate celebrations in one lot, in advance of the Penn State vs. Ohio State game on Saturday (Sept. 29). University Police wishes to reassure fans that officers were responding to the circumstances on the ground, which involved numerous law violations, including serious threats to officer safety within a disorderly crowd. Unruly individuals refused to disperse following verbal commands and at least one officer suffered injuries," the statement said.

"It is rare to resort to these expanded interventions; however, when all other warnings from the mounted police unit and officers 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. Following the use of the helicopter, the dangerous behaviors dissipated.”

The helicopter belongs to the Pennsylvania State Police, which also released a statement related to the incident. "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," the statement said.
 
"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.

A representative from the FAA's Flight Standards District Office in Harrisburg said that the incident is under investigation, according to the report.

(Image from YouTube video posted by user B Mack)

FMI: Original report