Chihuahua’s top state security official says authorities will pursue the gunmen responsible for firing at least 24 rounds into a police helicopter during an aerial patrol near Ojinaga, an attack that wounded an officer aboard the aircraft.
“We are going to go after those responsible wherever they are,” Chihuahua Public Security Secretary Gilberto Loya Chávez said following the Sept. 12 attack.
The helicopter, operated by Chihuahua’s State Public Security Secretariat, or SSPE, was conducting surveillance in the Coyame del Sotol-Ojinaga region when it came under fire. Loya said the aircraft was conducting reconnaissance near Rancho La Aurora after officers spotted armed men traveling along a rural road.
Authorities said gunfire came from an elevated position as the helicopter passed through the area. Investigators believe at least one gunman had taken up a concealed position and waited for the aircraft to approach before opening fire.
The helicopter was struck at least 24 times. An officer serving as an aerial observer was struck in the head and required surgery. Officials have described his condition as serious but stable, with subsequent reports saying he remained in intensive care while showing favorable improvement.
The aircraft did not have special armor or ballistic protection, according to the SSPE. Despite the number of hits, the helicopter remained operational after the attack and was able to reach General Roberto Fierro Villalobos International Airport in Chihuahua City.
The Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office is conducting ballistic examinations of the aircraft. Loya said investigators had identified impacts from different types of long guns and said a .50-caliber weapon was not believed to have been used. Authorities have said the forensic examination will provide a more definitive determination of the weapons involved.
The helicopter is leased and has been taken out of service while specialists assess the damage, Loya said.
State authorities have increased security operations in the region following the shooting. Loya said investigators have identified the criminal organization they believe was behind the attack and some of its leaders, although authorities had not publicly identified the individuals suspected of actually firing on the helicopter.
Loya has characterized the shooting as a “terrorist” act against the state security force. That description reflects the secretary’s characterization of the attack; authorities continue investigating the identities of the shooters and the circumstances surrounding the assault.
The shooting occurred in the border region east of Chihuahua City and south of Presidio, Texas, an area where state authorities have been conducting operations targeting organized crime.
Loya said those operations would continue despite the attack.
“We are going to go after those responsible wherever they are,” he said.
