SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Some strange activity was seen in the Sioux Falls sky Friday night.
Flight radar indicates that from 6:04 p.m. to 9:02 p.m., an army helicopter was circling an area in eastern Sioux Falls.
According to the flight radar, the helicopter was a Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota, which is a model that “provides a flexible response to Homeland Security requirements” according to the official U.S. Army website.
This map shows the flight pattern of the helicopter, hovering around East Arrowhead Parkway, Sycamore Avenue, Bahnson Avenue, and South Cleveland Avenue.
At a similar time, a KELOLAND viewer sent us photos of State Patrol vehicles, reporting that they pulled over a van at a Casey’s gas station on Sycamore Avenue around 7 p.m.
According to the viewer, a State Patrol pickup allegedly pulled a car over on South Bahnson Avenue around 8:40 p.m., behind a Gilberto’s restaurant alleyway. State Patrol also allegedly pulled over a car on Cleveland Avenue across from a Booze Boys liquor store around 9:00 p.m.
According to the viewer, there were no SFPD vehicles or Sheriff’s vehicles present, only State Highway Patrol vehicles.
While the reasoning behind these events isn’t confirmed, Governor Larry Rhoden announced in July that Highway Patrol would work closely with ICE agents in South Dakota as part of Operation Prairie Thunder.
It is unknown if there were any arrests made in these stops.
