Video: Drug Violence Shoots Down Heli Near Olympic Stadium, Rio

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Video has emerged of the helicopter crash that one week ago, Saturday, killed three members of the Rio de Janeiro police after a group of alleged drug traffickers reportedly shot down the aircraft. The police helicopter and violence were just one mile from Maracana stadium, which will host the 2016 opening and closing Olympic ceremonies in Brazil. Six officers were aboard the helicopter, which flew on fire over the densely populated city to a soccer field where it crashed and burned. Three officers aboard the helicopter survived. Police say drug traffickers armed with at least one large-caliber weapon were engaged in a fire-fight with a rival gang when the police attempted to intervene with helicopters and ground personnel. The Associated Press has acquired video that shows the aircraft passing over police, trailing flames and smoke.

The crash site is roughly one mile from Maracana stadium where Rio will host the 2016 opening and closing Olympic ceremonies, as well as the 2014 World Cup soccer finals. Rio is not the first city to suffer violence following a successful bid to host the Olympics. London’s trains and buses in 2005 were the subject of terrorist bombings. Those events took place within 24 hours after the city was awarded the 2012 Games.

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