PRATTVILLE, Ala — A flight nurse was injured early Wednesday when an Alabama man fired multiple rounds at a medical helicopter he reportedly mistook for a drone, according to authorities.
The Haynes LifeFlight helicopter was approaching a landing zone near County Road 51 in Autauga County shortly after 4:20 a.m. when gunfire shattered its right-side window and sent a bullet ricocheting through the cabin. The nurse, assigned to care for a patient being transferred from a nearby ambulance, was struck by bullet fragments but survived the ordeal.
The shooter, identified by investigators as 48-year-old Peter Ellison, was arrested at the scene after deputies secured the landing zone and located the weapon. Ellison faces charges of shooting into an occupied vehicle and is being held on a $30,000 cash-only bond, with additional federal charges pending. On questioning, Ellison told law enforcement he believed he was shooting at a drone.
The critically ill patient slated for air transport was instead taken to a hospital by ground ambulance after the attack left the aircraft grounded for damage inspection and repairs. Authorities condemned the assault, which occurred while emergency responders were racing to deliver lifesaving care.
The FBI and Federal Aviation Administration have launched investigations into the incident. Local officials and flight crew members expressed outrage at the attack, which has raised alarms about the safety risks faced by emergency workers in Alabama.
The nurse’s injuries were not reported as life-threatening. The helicopter remains out of service pending completion of repairs and the ongoing federal inquiry.