The Arizona Department of Public Safety has identified the two men killed in a helicopter crash in Flagstaff Wednesday night.
DPS pilot Robert Bruce Skankey, 61, and trooper-paramedic Hunter R. Bennett, 28, were aboard the helicopter when it crashed.
“Today, we honor the lives, their service, and their positive impact that Robert and Hunter had on the department and on the community that they served, saving countless lives with their commitment to public service,” DPS Director Jeffrey Glover said Friday at a press conference in Phoenix.
Skankey was a Marine veteran with 5,100 flight hours before he joined the state police in 2021.
He was an alumnus of Northern Arizona University and Brigham Young University and is survived by his wife and four children.
Bennett joined the state police in 2022 after graduating from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy with the highest overall scores in his class.
He is survived by his wife.
Glover didn’t provide details on what caused the crash as its crew assisted Flagstaff police during a nighttime active shooter situation in a neighborhood.
He said the helicopter was last inspected just a week before the crash and wasn’t due for retirement.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
