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Two New York National Guard members and a Border Patrol agent have been identified as the three people killed in a U.S. military helicopter crash in Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border.
New York State Trooper John M. Grassia III and New York National Guard helicopter pilot Casey Frankoski had already been identified as among the deceased by local agencies on Saturday, while Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday identified the third person killed in Friday’s crash as Border Patrol Agent Chris Luna.
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“We are devastated by the tragic death of Border Patrol Agent Chris Luna, a heroic public servant who lost his life Friday in a helicopter crash while on a Border Patrol mission in Texas. Two National Guardsmen were also killed, and one National Guardsman was seriously injured,” Mayorkas said. “Every single day, our Border Patrol Agents place themselves in harm’s way so that the rest of us can be safe and secure. My thoughts, and the deepest condolences of our Department, are with Agent Luna’s family, loved ones, and colleagues, and with those of the National Guardsmen who lost their lives. We hope for the injured servicemember’s swift recovery, and hold our National Guard colleagues and their families in our thoughts as well.”
Grassia, 30, was killed on Friday in a helicopter crash while flying over the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas serving with the National Guard, the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association said in a Facebook post on Saturday, sending thoughts and prayers to Grassia’s family, friends and coworkers.
MEXICAN CARTEL MEMBERS LAUGH AFTER NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER CRASHES, KILLS 3
“Trooper Grassia, who was dedicated to serving and protecting not only the citizens of New York State but also the citizens of the entire United States, will be remembered for his ultimate sacrifice,” the post said. “Trooper Grassia joined the New York State Police in April 2022 and was most recently assigned to Troop G. Funeral arrangements are pending.”
Frankoski also “tragically lost her life in a helicopter crash on Friday while patrolling the US-Mexico border,” according to the mayor of Rensselaer, New York, located across the Hudson River opposite the state capital of Albany.
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New York State Trooper John M. Grassia III and New York National Guard pilot Casey Frankoski were among three killed in a U.S. military helicopter crash near the Mexico border.(New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association/ Troy Police Department)
“A proud native of Rensselaer and distinguished graduate of Columbia High School, Casey was not only an excellent student but also excelled in sports and community service before joining the New York National Guard,” Mayor Michael Stammel wrote. “Casey comes from a family deeply rooted in public service, and her legacy as an American hero resonates throughout our community. Casey’s father is retired Rensselaer Police Chief James Frankoski and a part of our Rensselaer family. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Frankoski family as we collectively mourn the loss of a beloved city native and dedicated patriot. Please keep all of the victims and families in your prayers.”
Rensselaer would be lowering its flags in Frankoski’s honor, the mayor said.
“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Army National Guard helicopter pilots Casey Frankoski and John Grassia Jr, who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash over the border of Texas and Mexico on Friday during an operation,” the Troy Police Department in New York also wrote in a Facebook post.
A National Guard helicopter seen after crashing in La Grulla, Texas on Friday.(Fox News)
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“On behalf of the Troy Police Department, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Casey Frankoski and John Grassia Jr during this difficult time. Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragic event.”
A UH-72 Lakota helicopter assigned to the federal Southwest border support mission crashed Friday afternoon while conducting aviation operations near Rio Grande City, Texas, according to a statement released by Joint Task Force North. The cause was under investigation.
NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER CRASHES NEAR SOUTHERN BORDER IN TEXAS, MULTIPLE FATALITIES REPORTED
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, the county’s top official, said those on board included one woman and three men. He said the person who was injured was in critical condition.
Gen. Daniel Hokanson, head of the National Guard Bureau, in a post on X, sent his condolences to the families, loved ones, friends and colleagues of the three people killed, and prayers for the injured soldier’s speedy recovery.
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Authorities in La Grulla, Texas, at the site of a National Guard helicopter crash.(Fox News)
“We mourn these heartbreaking deaths,” Hokanson’s post said. “They are a tragic loss beyond words. All of these people represent selfless service & the best of America.”
The site of the crash is in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. The Starr County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook on Friday that it was assisting with a “downed helicopter incident” on the east side of the county. Vera said the scene had been secured by the sheriff’s office and that federal officials were on the way.
new video loaded: Historic Brooklyn Church Destroyed in Fire
The South Bushwick Church in Brooklyn was engulfed in flames on Friday, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The church was built in 1853 and is Bushwick’s oldest landmark, according to an expert.
Michael O’Neil is on the hunt for the next John Hancock.
As many Boston sports fans know, the insurance company first sponsored the Boston Marathon 40 years ago, helping usher in the modern professional era of the race as well as tens of millions of dollars in community fund-raising each year.
O’Neil wants to make a similar leap for the race he runs, the Boston Triathlon. This will be the first year without a naming-rights sponsor after nine years with Ameriprise Financial-owned Columbia Threadneedle Investments. O’Neil is seeking a successor that can help make an impact on the race the way Hancock once did with the marathon, a sponsorship role now played by Bank of America.
“We’re looking for that next transformational partner that wants to do something like that,” O’Neil said.
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The 18-year-old triathlon draws nearly 2,500 athletes to Carson Beach in South Boston each August, for sprint and Olympic-distance triathlons, and also features free kids’ races the day before at the same location; Amazon has been a big sponsor for the “Kids Day” events.
O’Neil says he would like to extend the race beyond loops in South Boston to showcase more of the city and boost tourism; the Meet Boston tourism bureau is also among the race’s sponsors. Another hope of O’Neil’s: to continue community efforts that he and his race management firm, Ethos, undertook with support from Columbia Threadneedle, including donations to Boston Medical Center and the city’s “Swim Safe” program to provide swim lessons for kids. (O’Neil started an affiliated nonprofit to help expand this community work in 2024.)
He expects the race’s naming-rights sponsorship to cost “in the mid-six figures” annually.
“We’re over this hump now, after 18 years, we’re an institution,” O’Neil said. “We’re seeking a Boston-based company, that’s headquartered here or has a large presence here, that wants to make an impact on the community. … We know how to do that.”
This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston’s business scene.
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Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Follow him @jonchesto.
Delta-8 is unregulated and untested, and more and more users are paying the price.
Health experts say the drug often contains chemicals and toxins, resulting in psychotic episodes and, in some cases, long-term damage.
Should Delta-8 be banned?
Walk into any of the now-hundreds of vape shops in the Pittsburgh region and just about any gas station, and it’s yours for the asking: Delta-8.
It’s an unregulated, quasi-legal form of synthetic cannabis. It’s supposed to be less potent than regular marijuana, but with some users, it’s resulted in psychotic episodes involving hallucinations, hospital admissions or even violence.
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“You have no idea where it’s made, what it’s made with, what’s actually in it,” addiction psychiatrist Elizabeth McCord said.
Three years ago, a then-21-year-old University of Pittsburgh student took Delta-8 and went on a rampage. He stabbed Al Carlson, a random stranger in the city’s Shadyside neighborhood, seven times, leaving him for dead.
After his arrest, Jasper Hilliard told police he had been in an altered state, hearing voices. And in court, both the defense and prosecution experts said Hilliard acted in a “substance-induced state of psychosis.”
Still, Judge Edward Borkowski found him guilty last week of attempted homicide, saying even under the influence, Hilliard could still form intent to kill. Carlson agreed, but Hilliard’s father said his son wouldn’t have attacked but for the drug.
“My son was peaceful and non-violent for his entire life up to the day the crime happened, and it only happened because, like thousands of people in Pittsburgh, he took Delta-8,” Jasper’s father, Thomas Hilliard, said on June 16.
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Delta-8 adverse reactions
The Food and Drug Administration has tracked 104 reports of adverse reactions from Delta-8, involving hallucinations, confusion, vomiting and loss of consciousness and has issued a public warning. The FDA points to the unregulated, untested nature of the drug and the unmonitored use of chemicals and potential toxins in the synthesis process.
McCord says every dose of Delta-8 is a crapshoot.
“It’s manufactured through chemical conversion rather than grown naturally, so you are exposing yourself to harmful chemicals,” McCord said. “It’s so unregulated that you’re also ingesting toxins.”
But since it’s so readily available, people assume it’s safe — especially in the ingestible form as gummies — which McCord says is an invitation to young people who may be susceptible to long-term brain damage.
“You go to a gas station or head shop, and you see Delta-8,” McCord said. “It looks like candy, and that’s predatory marketing toward young individuals.”
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Delta-8 in Pennsylvania
But even though 22 states have now banned or severely restricted the sale of Delta-8, Pennsylvania is not one of them. A federal ban is scheduled to go into effect in November. And under proposed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, synthetic cannabis would be subject to testing, and only authorized dealers could sell it.
This would take it out of vape shops and gas stations, but too late to prevent the tragedy involving Carlson and Tom Hilliard’s son.
“I’m surprised the state of Pennsylvania hasn’t done something already,” Tom Hilliard said.
