Crime
Trans Member National Guard Pilot Jo Ellis Falsely Accused of Flying Black Hawk Helicopter
A transgender National Guard pilot has spoken out after being falsely accused on social media of piloting the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the fatal midair collision with a passenger jet near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, which claimed 67 lives.
Jo Ellis, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Virginia Army National Guard, addressed the misinformation in a Facebook post on Friday, denouncing the baseless claims that had gained traction online.
The false allegations echoed unsubstantiated rhetoric from former President Donald Trump, who suggested diversity initiatives were to blame for the tragedy.
“Some craziness has happened on the internet, and Iโm being named as one of the pilots of the D.C. crash,” Ellis wrote. “Itโs insulting to the victims and families of those lost, and they deserve better than this BS from the bots and trolls of the internet.”
Ellis included screenshots of posts on X (formerly Twitter) that attempted to link her gender identity to the catastrophic crash.
One post speculated, โWouldnโt be surprised if the pilot was trans,โ while another falsely claimed Ellis had made โradicalized anti-Trump statementsโ on social media. The latter post was later deleted, and the account issued an apology.
Despite these corrections, Ellisโ name trended on X, accumulating over 19,400 mentions.
Even after she publicly refuted the claimsโincluding in a follow-up video titled “Proof of Life”โfar-right accounts continued to circulate misinformation and hate speech targeting her.
The National Guard has not commented on the allegations, and official investigations into the crash remain ongoing.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. โ Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.