Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Amanda Butterfield ReportingDetlef Galke, Bishop: "I know there's concern from all the ward members for the Lagunas."
A Utah helicopter pilot survives after being shot at in Baghdad, but his brother is killed when his chopper goes down. Both were on a security detail over one of the most dangerous sections of Baghdad.
Art Laguna was among five civilians killed in Baghdad when their chopper was shot down by insurgents. His brother Dan lives in North Salt Lake.
Dan Laguna is over all the pilots working in Iraq for Blackwater USA, a private contractor that provides security. It was his crew and choppers that got shot at; his brother was in the chopper that crashed.
Art Laguna lived in Sacramento, he was Dan's younger brother. The two brothers went to flight school together and are very close. Though the U.S. Military is still investigating the cause of the crash, family members confirmed to KSL that the chopper was gunned down.
It happened over eastern Baghdad in a neighborhood that is a very troubled area of this city. The chopper Art was in was gunned down, four other pilots died. Dan's chopper was also shot at, but was able to make it back to base.
Family tells us Art hadn't been in Iraq for very long. Dan had been there much longer. Dan was part of the security detail that escorted President Bush safely into Iraq this past June. He has also safely escorted the Prime Minister of Iraq.
Word of Dan's brother's death has spread through emails among his LDS ward in North Salt Lake. Though many didn't know Dan well, they know he was a good pilot.
Bishop Detlef Galke, Springhill Ward: "His work right now in Iraq is something that he takes very seriously. He's a very private individual, but I do know he's committed to whatever he does. He's a good pilot."
The Laguna family got word of the death at 3:30 this morning. The bodies of all those killed will be flown back to the states soon. Dan will have to stay in Iraq until he is relieved, and then will be able to come home and mourn with the family.
