The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday approved a no-fly zone over Ferguson, Missouri, the St. Louis suburb where unarmed teen Michael Brown was shot to death by a police officer, sparking riots.
The St. Louis County Police Department requested the no-fly zone after local officials say a
police helicopter was shot at multiple times on Sunday, Time reported.
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The order restricts flights under 3,000 feet in a three-mile radius and is in place through Monday.
The Ferguson no-fly zone was issued “to provide a safe environment for law enforcement activities,” but could affect the ability of news organizations to get footage of the town, which continues to draw national attention over the shooting and subsequent unrest.
Some are angered by the move, and view it as an effort to block transparency.
"We understand that that’s the perception that’s out there, but it truly is for the safety of pilots. It’s scary stuff to them, so that’s the reason the commanders made the call,"
Police Department Officer Brian Schellman told NBC News. "I understand that it’s nice for media helicopters to get up there, but we have not restricted any media access on the ground."
Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was reportedly shot multiple times by a white police officer on Saturday, sparking racial tensions.
The officer’s identity hasn’t been released out of concern for his safety amid numerous death threats.
Activists are demanding information. Computer hackers accessed data from the city’s website and released information about city employees.
Reactions on Twitter indicated that the no-fly zone has increased frustrations.
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