'Dedicated' Tenn. Trooper and Sheriff's Deputy Killed After Helicopter Struck Power Line and Crashed
West Tennessee Drug Task Force Tennessee Highway Patrol Sergeant Lee Russell
A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper and a local sheriff's deputy were killed Tuesday when their helicopter crashed, according to authorities.
The Bell 206 rotorcraft was flying near Whiteside on Tuesday when it "struck a power line and crashed in a wooded area on Aetna Mountain," according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration that was obtained by PEOPLE.
The helicopter was en route to an undisclosed destination when the wreck occurred according to an FAA database.
The crash occurred "under unknown circumstances" and has been deemed an accident, per the agency.
Sergeant Lee Russell of the Tennessee Highway Patrol has been identified as one of the victims killed in Tuesday's incident, according to a Facebook post from the Scott County Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's deputy, whose name has not been publicly released, was from the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The officers were "serving the citizens of the State of Tennessee" when the "terrible" crash occurred, per the SCSD.
West Tennessee Drug Task Force
"God bless these dedicated law enforcement officers and their families during this unimaginable time," the department wrote.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol and MCSO did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.
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The Hardin County Sheriff's Department and the West Tennessee Drug Task Force also mourned Russell's death in their own social media tributes.
The task force said Russell "loved Tennessee," while the HSCO shared that the officer "provided vital assistance to our department on numerous occasions."
"As many are aware, Trooper Russell provided vital assistance to our department on numerous occasions," the HSCO wrote. "The safety of the people of Hardin County was protected, in part, because of Trooper Lee's service."
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The aircraft involved in Tuesday's crash is registered to the Tennessee Department of Safety in Nashville, according to the FAA's registry.
The FAA will investigate the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which "will be in charge" and "provide additional updates" moving forward, per the agency's statement.
