>>>
>>> WE
>>> WE ARE GOING TO MISS HIM. HE HAD A HEART OF GOLD.
HE HAD INTEGRITY SECOND TO
NONE.
NONE.
NONE. >>
NONE. >> THE HOUSTON POLICE
DEPARTMENT MORNING MAC THE LOSS
OF A POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN A
HELICOPTER CRASH.
HELICOPTER CRASH. HE WAS A SON, A HUSBAND AND
FATHER.
FATHER.
FATHER. THE OFFICER KILLED HAS BEEN
IDENTIFIED AS JASON KNOX.
THE PILOT WAS CRITICALLY
INJURED.
INJURED.
INJURED. THE CHOPPER WENT DOWN JUST
BEFORE TO A CLOCK A.M.
AND AN ACCOUNT, APARTMENT
COMPLEX IN THE GREENSPOINT
AREA.
AREA.
AREA. WE
AREA. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE BEGINNING
WITH MARCELINO BENITO LIVE IN
THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER WHERE
THE INJURED OFFICER IS FIGHTING
FOR HIS LIFE TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: BOTH THESE MEN
WERE TRULY HEROES.
THE WAY THEY MANAGED TO SOMEHOW
BRING THIS CHOPPER DOWN WITHOUT
HURTING ANYONE ON THE GROUND IS
TRULY A MIRACLE.
TRAGICALLY, WHEN OFFICER DID
NOT SURVIVE.
NOT SURVIVE. JUST YESTERDAY, HPD'S SUPPORT
UNIT FLEW OVER THE CADET CLASS.
>> HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, BE SAFE.
>> IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THAT
A FEW HOURS LATER WE WOULD HAVE
AN AIRCRAFT DOWN AND WE WOULD
LOSE A REALLY GOOD MAN, I
WOULD'VE SAID, NO WAY.
>> Reporter: THE AIR SUPPORT
RESPONDED TO A CALL OF BODIES
AND THE BAYOU.
WHOA!
WHOA!
WHOA! >>
WHOA! >> WAIT!
>> WAIT!
>> WAIT! STOP!
STOP!
STOP! >>
STOP! >> Reporter: A WITNESS CAPTURED
THE CHOPPER COME CRASHING DOWN
AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OFF
IMPERIAL VALLEY.
IMPERIAL VALLEY. MIRACULOUSLY THEY AVOIDED A
UNIT FULL OF PEOPLE.
>> THE PILOT DID A HELLUVA JOB
TRYING TO AVOID THAT BIG
APARTMENT BUILDING, THERE.
>> Reporter: THEY WORKED
FEVERISHLY TO GET THE PILOT AND
OFFICER JASON KNOX OUT OF THE
WRECKAGE.
WRECKAGE.
WRECKAGE. BOTH TAKEN BY LIFE FLIGHT TO
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. OFFICER JASON KNOX DID NOT
SURVIVE.
SURVIVE.
SURVIVE. >> WE ARE GOING TO MISS HIM.
HE HAD A HEART OF GOLD.
TRUCK THIS MORNING THEY HONOR
THE FALLEN HERO WITH A
PROCESSION TO THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
EXAMINER'S OFFICE. THEY AGREE, THEY ARE WORKING TO
FIND OUT WHAT BROUGHT THE
CHOPPER DOWN.
CHOPPER DOWN. >> IT WILL TAKE METICULOUS
ANALYSIS OF ALL THE WRECKAGE TO
SEE IF WE FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF
úANY STRIKES.
úANY STRIKES. >> Reporter: THE NTSB, FAA AND
IN THP WILL WORK TOGETHER.
THERE WERE REPORTS OF SHOTS
FIRED IN THE AREA WHERE THE
CHOPPER CRASHED.
CHOPPER CRASHED. IT IS TOO EARLY TO KNOW WHAT
CAUSED THE CRASH.
EVERY POSSIBILITY IS STILL ON
THE TABLE.
THE TABLE. >> WE MUST START WITH A WIDE
NET IN TERMS OF INVESTIGATION
AND CONTINU TO NARROW IT AND
FOCUS AS WE CLEAR POSSIBLE
LEADS ON CAUSATION.
TRUCK FOR NOW, THEY HAVE
SUSPENDED THE AIR OPERATIONS
WHILE THE INVESTIGATION
CONTINUES TONIGHT, A CITY
MORNING MAC FOR OFFICER JASON
KNOX AND PRAYING FOR THE PILOT
WHO HAS A LONG ROAD OF RECOVERY
AHEAD.
AHEAD.
AHEAD. >>
AHEAD. >> IN HONOR OF JASON KNOX AND
ALL ARE POLICE OFFICERS
TONIGHT, AS WELL AS TOMORROW,
CITY HALL WILL BE LIT UP IN
BLUE.
BLUE.
BLUE. THE
BLUE. THE AIRPORT WILL BE LIT UP IN
BLUE AND HONOR OF ALL ARE
POLICE OFFICERS AND WHAT THEY
GO THROUGH.
GO THROUGH. >> Reporter: THE GOOD NEWS IS
THE OFFICER IS OUT OF SURGERY
AND HE IS EXPECTED TO SURVIVE.
WE ARE TOLD HIS ROAD TO
RECOVERY WILL BE A LONG ONE.
TONIGHT, THE CHIEF IS ASKING
ALL HOUSTONIANS TO CONTINUE
PRAYING FOR BOTH OFFICERS AND
BOTH FAMILIES.
BOTH FAMILIES. >> NO DOUBT EVERYONE IN TOWN IS
PRAYING FOR THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARCELINO
BENITO.
BENITO.
BENITO. JASON KNOX IS THE SON OF
HOUSTON CITY COUNCILMEMBER MIKE
KNOX.
KNOX.
KNOX. THE
KNOX. THE COUNCILMAN RELEASED A
STATEMENT READING IN PART, WE
CELEBRATE ALL HE EMBODIED AS A
COMMITTED HPD OFFICER AND PILOT
WHO FULLY EMBRACED HIS JOB.
WE CELEBRATE JASON AS HE WAS
OUTSIDE OF