South Carolina police told civilians not to shoot the Chinese spy balloon as it passed overhead on Saturday morning.
The York County Sheriff’s Office released photos of the Chinese surveillance plane when it was seen flying in the area between 9 and 10 a.m. ET on Saturday. “‘That’s not moon,'” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook and Twitter.
“Yes, there are reports that the Chinese balloon is flying over our area at the moment. It is flying at over 60,000 feet,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Don’t try to shoot him!!” the post continued. “Your rifle shells will NOT hit it. Be responsible. What goes up will come down, including your bullets.”
US weighs decision to shoot down Chinese spy balloon over Atlantic Ocean, official tells Fox News
In this photo provided by Brian Branch, a large balloon hovers over the Kingston, North Carolina area, with an airplane and its contrail below.
(Brian Branch via AP)
A Chinese spy balloon flies over Charlotte, North Carolina, on February 4, 2023.
(Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
BIDEN ADMINISTRATOR TO BRIEF ‘GANG OF EIGHT’ IN CHINESE SPY BALLOON AFTER REQUEST FROM MCCARTHY SPOKESMAN
Pentagon officials revealed Thursday that a surveillance balloon believed to be of Chinese origin had been tracked over Montana. China’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged the balloon was Chinese on Friday, claiming it was a civilian weather plane that had veered off course.
Senior State Department officials disputed that claim, identifying it as a Chinese surveillance craft and calling its presence in US airspace an “unacceptable” violation of US sovereignty. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indefinitely postponed a planned trip to China to meet President Xi Jinping because of the incident, calling China’s actions “irresponsible” in a phone call with his counterpart Wang Yi on Friday.
FORMER SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL CRITICIZES THE PENTAGON’S ‘INFECTUOUS’ RESPONSE TO THE CHINESE GLOBE AND WARNS OF THE CONSEQUENCES
President Biden, with his son Hunter Biden, arrives at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York on February 4, 2023. Biden spoke briefly to reporters about the Chinese spy balloon, saying: ” We’ll take care of him.”
(ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
President Biden has been criticized by Republicans for not shooting down the balloon. Senior US officials warned that removing the balloon as it flies over the continental United States risks injuring US civilians or infrastructure on the ground, which could be struck by falling debris.
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The sheriff’s office told Fox News Digital that they have not received any reports of people attempting to shoot down the balloon and that the statement was issued proactively.
Anyone shooting at the Chinese balloon from the ground with privately owned firearms will not only miss, but risk hitting people or unwanted targets.
