Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Officer who fell from helicopter died of blunt force injuries

Metro Police Officer David Vanbuskirk, who fell from a helicopter during the rescue of a hiker on Mount Charleston, died of multiple blunt force injuries, the Clark County Coroner’s Office reported.

Vanbuskirk, 36, died July 22 after he became detached from a harness and cable used to lower and raise rescue personnel from the helicopter. The stranded hiker was safely recovered.

A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found no abnormalities with the harness or equipment used in the rescue.

Vanbuskirk’s funeral was held July 29 and was attended by more than 3,000 people.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy