Crime
Pilots Identified as Kenneth Kirsch and Michael Greenberg in Fatal Midair Helicopter Collision in Hammonton
HAMMONTON, N.J. (Atlantic County) — A second helicopter pilot critically injured in a midair collision in South Jersey has died from his injuries, police confirmed Monday, bringing the death toll from the crash to two.
The collision occurred Sunday near Basin Road and White Horse Pike, shortly after both aircraft departed Hammonton Municipal Airport. Hammonton Police identified the pilots as Kenneth L. Kirsch, 65, of Carney’s Point, and Michael Greenberg, 71, of Sewell.
Police said Kirsch was piloting an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition following the crash.
Authorities confirmed Monday that Kirsch later succumbed to his injuries. Greenberg, who was flying an Enstrom 280C helicopter, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel described the two men as longtime friends who shared a deep passion for aviation and were well known at the local airport.
“They’ve been flying for quite some time,” Friel said. “They were kind of a staple at the Hammonton airport. They would frequently fly in, meet each other to have a meal together, and then fly out.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the pilots were the only occupants aboard both helicopters at the time of the crash.
Investigators said the aircraft had taken off from Hammonton Municipal Airport shortly before the 11:25 a.m. collision. When firefighters arrived, one of the helicopters was fully engulfed in flames.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FAA.
NTSB investigators returned to the crash site early Monday to document the debris field, which officials said extends approximately 100 yards.
A spokesperson for the NTSB said both helicopters are scheduled to be removed from the site on Tuesday and transported to a secure facility for further examination.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, though officials cautioned that the full investigation could take considerably longer.
“It’s going to be a little while,” Chief Friel said. “They are very meticulous. They try to recover every part and piece of each aircraft to determine whether there was a mechanical malfunction, a component failure, or possible pilot error.”
In a statement shared on social media, New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill expressed condolences to the victims’ families and gratitude for first responders.
“My heart is broken for the family of the pilot killed in yesterday’s fatal helicopter crash in Hammonton,” Sherrill wrote. “I am grateful for the emergency responders on the ground.”
Sherrill is a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, adding personal weight to her remarks.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Crime
Angela Johnson and Her Son DeAngelo Johnson Killed After Shooting Inside Home in Chicago, Mother’s Boyfriend in Custody
CHICAGO — A 47-year-old mother and her 27-year-old son were fatally shot inside a residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side late Thursday night, September 24, 2026, according to Chicago police.
The victims were identified as Angela Johnson, 47, and DeAngelo Johnson, 27. Police said a suspect, identified as Angela Johnson’s boyfriend, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The deadly shooting happened in the 800 block of North Parkside Avenue at approximately 10:43 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from the basement of the residence and called 911.
When Chicago police officers arrived, they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Angela Johnson was found in the basement with a gunshot wound to her chest. Police-radio traffic indicated she had been shot on the right side of her chest.
DeAngelo Johnson was found on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Radio traffic indicated that he had suffered two gunshot wounds to his back.
Both victims were initially unresponsive and in critical condition. Emergency personnel performed CPR on DeAngelo Johnson before both victims were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to police-radio traffic, one victim was pronounced dead at approximately 11:18 p.m., while the male victim was pronounced dead around 11:21 p.m.
Investigators found extensive evidence inside the residence, including approximately 23 shell casings in a basement bedroom. Additional shell casings were reportedly recovered in other areas of the basement, including the stairway, main room and bedroom.
Officers initially recovered a firearm and shell casings from the basement bedroom. Police later located a second firearm inside the home, bringing the total number of recovered firearms to two.
Authorities have not publicly stated who owned the firearms or confirmed which weapon, if either, was used in the fatal shooting.
Police also reported that DeAngelo Johnson was wearing an empty holster when officers found him on the first floor. That discovery prompted an officer-safety alert as officers searched the residence for the missing firearm.
Chicago police said the shooting appeared to be domestic-related and identified the alleged offender as the mother’s boyfriend.
Radio traffic indicated that a person had been detained by approximately 11:26 p.m. The official police report later confirmed that the known offender was taken into custody.
Two witnesses were reportedly available to identify the alleged offender, and officers conducted a show-up identification procedure near the scene.
Police have not released additional information about potential charges against the suspect.
The investigation into the Chicago Austin neighborhood double shooting remains ongoing. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the shooting, the relationship between the people involved and the role of the two recovered firearms.
The deaths of Angela Johnson and DeAngelo Johnson are being investigated as a double homicide.