Oct. 21 (UPI) — Multiple people, including a child, are dead after a private helicopter crashed into a Houston radio tower Sunday night, according to authorities and officials.
The crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. local time Sunday near the intersection of Engelke Street and North Ennis Street in Houston.
Mayor John Whitmire told reporters during a press conference that the crash was heard by local firefighters who responded to the scene. A large fireball was also observed being ejected into the air, he said.
The authorities and officials said four people were aboard the private aircraft but would not specify the death toll, only confirming that multiple fatalities, including a child, had occurred.
Next of kin had yet to be notified, Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz explained.
No injuries were reported on the ground, with the mayor stating nearby residents and structures were unharmed.
“Residents are secure and safe, but we have a terrible accident scene,” Whitmire said. “Multiple fatalities. Helicopter destroyed.”
He added that the helicopter, which Diaz specified as a R44 aircraft, appeared to have departed Ellington Airport, though its destination was unknown.
Some homes in the vicinity reported power outages due to the crash, the mayor said.
He also said they are “fortunate it wasn’t worse,” as a butane gas tank was near the crash.
“We need to keep the family of the victims in our prayers and be glad we live in a great city that comes together during tragic times like this,” he said.
The cause of the crash was under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, as well as local police and fire agencies, the officials and authorities said.
The mayor said the investigation will take days to complete.
An election worker walks near voting machines at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center on Nov. 5, 2024.
John Bazemore/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
John Bazemore/AP
The FBI says it’s executing a “court authorized law enforcement action” at a location in Georgia that is home to the Fulton County election office.
When asked about the search, the FBI would not clarify whether the action is tied to the 2020 election, but last month the Department of Justice announced it’s suing Fulton County for records related to the 2020 election.
In its complaint, the DOJ cited efforts by the Georgia State Election Board to obtain 2020 election materials from the county.
On Oct. 30, 2025, the complaint says, the U.S. attorney general sent a letter to the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections “demanding ‘all records in your possession responsive to the recent subpoena issued to your office by the State Election Board.’ “
A Fulton County judge has denied a request by the county to block that subpoena.
Since the 2020 election, Fulton County has been at the center of baseless claims of election fraud by President Trump and others.
In November the sweeping election interference case against Trump and allies was dismissed by a Fulton County judge.
A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images)
OCTAVIO JONES/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
hide caption
toggle caption
OCTAVIO JONES/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was rushed by a man during a town hall event Tuesday night and sprayed with a liquid via a syringe.
Footage from the event shows a man approaching Omar at her lectern as she is delivering remarks and spraying an unknown substance in her direction, before swiftly being tackled by security. Omar called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment immediately before the assault.
Noem has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis Saturday.
Omar’s staff can be heard urging her to step away and get “checked out,” with others nearby saying the substance smelled bad.
“We will continue,” Omar responded. “These f******* a**holes are not going to get away with it.”
A statement from Omar’s office released after the event said the individual who approached and sprayed the congresswoman is now in custody.
“The Congresswoman is okay,” the statement read. “She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
A syringe lays on the ground after a man, left, approached Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. The man was apprehended after spraying an unknown substance according to the Associated Press. Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Bloomberg
hide caption
toggle caption
Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Bloomberg
Omar followed up with a statement on social media saying she will not be intimidated.
I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2026
As Omar continued her remarks at the town hall, she said: “We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
Just three days ago, fellow Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he was assaulted at the Sundance Festival by a man “who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face.”
Threats against Congressional lawmakers have been rising. Last year, there was an increase in security funding in the wake of growing concerns about political violence in the country.
According to the U.S. Capitol Police, the number of threat assessment cases has increased for the third year in a row. In 2025, the USCP investigated 14,938 “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications” directed towards congressional lawmakers, their families and staff. That figure represents a nearly 58% increase from 2024.
new video loaded: F.A.A. Ignored Safety Concerns Prior to Collision Over Potomac, N.T.S.B. Says
transcript
transcript
“I imagine there will be some difficult moments today for all of us as we try to provide answers to how a multitude of errors led to this tragedy.” “We have an entire tower who took it upon themselves to try to raise concerns over and over and over and over again, only to get squashed by management and everybody above them within F.A.A. Were they set up for failure?” “They were not adequately prepared to do the jobs they were assigned to do.”
By Meg Felling
January 27, 2026
Illinois school closings tomorrow: How to check if your school is closed due to extreme cold
Sean McDermott Should Be Steelers Next Head Coach
Rare ‘avalanche’ blocks Pennsylvania road during major snowstorm
Nick Fuentes & Andrew Tate Party to Kanye’s Banned ‘Heil Hitler’
Miami star throws punch at Indiana player after national championship loss
Northeast Ohio cities dealing with rock salt shortage during peak of winter season
Ring claims it’s not giving ICE access to its cameras
Contributor: New food pyramid is a recipe for health disasters
