Va. governor says drone information from feds 'insufficient'
Dec 14, 2024
RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — After multiple drone sightings across the state, including Hampton Roads, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said information from federal partners about them "has been insufficient."
This comes after many 10 On Your Side viewers have reached out to ask about the bright images cutting through the darkness, and in other parts of the country, have sparked speculation about who has sent them, and why.
Drones light up the Hampton Roads skies
And though a federal probe into the mysterious drone sightings has centered around skies over New York and New Jersey, the drones, controlled by unknown operators, have become a global phenomenon.
Mystery drones: Where they have been spotted?
The FBI has insisted that the drones do not belong to the U.S. military, and are also not the property of foreign governments.
In a statement issued Saturday, Youngkin said the state is closely monitoring the drone activity.
"The Commonwealth of Virginia is home to a significant number of national security and critical infrastructure sites upon which our nation depends each and every day," Youngkin said in a statement. "I remain deeply concerned that Virginia has consistently sought information from federal partners, and to date, the information shared with the Commonwealth has been insufficient.
"The Virginia State Police Homeland Security Division and Virginia Department of Emergency Management continue to closely coordinate through our Fusion Center with the greater law enforcement and first responder community regarding drone activity in the Commonwealth. We will continue to engage with numerous federal partners and release further information as it becomes known and available.”
The governor is calling on people to report drone observations to the Virginia Fusion Center at [email protected] or 877-4VA-TIPS. He said people should not try to interfere with drones by using personally-owned drones or other airborne craft, or attempt to capture the suspected drone or aircraft individually.