A routine land survey over southern Bastrop County turned into a criminal investigation on Nov. 10, when a helicopter contracted for aerial work was struck by a bullet while in flight. The aircraft was flying near Red Rock and Rosanky when the round hit, but both people on board escaped injury. Authorities say the gunfire endangered everyone in the helicopter and set off a multi-agency search for whoever pulled the trigger. Local officials have also tightened security around aerial surveying in the area.
In a Facebook post, the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office said investigators opened case number 2025-005046 and inspected the helicopter at Smithville-Crawford Municipal Airport. According to the office, collected evidence supports that the projectile came from the ground and was fired from a "high-powered firearm" on a trajectory toward the aircraft. The post notes that investigators have shared contact details for tips and that heightened security protocols will stay in place while the case is active.
FBI Joins Local Investigation
Federal agents are now working alongside Bastrop County detectives, according to FOX 7 Austin, which reports the helicopter had been gathering survey data near FM 812, FM 535 and FM 20. The outlet notes that both occupants were unharmed and that investigators are reviewing ballistics and flight records in an effort to pinpoint the shooter's location on the ground.
Federal Law and Penalties
Shooting at an aircraft can be prosecuted as a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 32, a statute that carries potential fines and prison terms of up to 20 years for those convicted, according to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School. Prosecutors have used the law in past cases involving threats to aircraft or the people on board, making it one of the more serious charges that could emerge from this investigation.
Tips, Safety and Next Steps
Officials are asking anyone with information to call the sheriff's office at (512) 549-5100 or email [email protected]. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Bluebonnet Crime Stoppers, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman. The paper notes that law enforcement plans to keep those heightened security measures around aerial survey work in place until a suspect is found or the surveying is complete.
Who Bluebonnet Is
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is a large member-owned utility serving central Texas, and the co-op notes that utilities commonly use aircraft to conduct transmission and line surveys. Local authorities have identified Bluebonnet as the contractor that hired the helicopter involved in the incident. Investigators have not named any suspects, and no charges have been announced.
