Army parachutist dies after Chicago air show accident

CHICAGO -- A U.S. Army skydiver who had served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan died Sunday from injuries suffered in a midair collision with another jumper during a stunt at the Chicago Air & Water Show, authorities said.

Corey Hood, 32, of Cincinnati, was pronounced dead Sunday afternoon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said Mario Johnson, a Cook County medical examiner's investigator.

Hood had logged more than 200 free-fall jumps and 75 military static-line jumps during his career, according to his Army biography.

The Army Golden Knights and Navy Leap Frogs parachute teams were performing what is known as a "bomb burst" Saturday when the collision occurred, a Golden Knights spokeswoman Donna Dixon said. During the stunt, parachutists fall with red smoke trailing from packs and separate, creating a colorful visual.

Dixon said Hood collided with a member of the Navy's precision skydiving team.

Corey Hood

"Hood was knocked unconscious, which resulted in an uncontrolled offsite landing," she said in a statement.

Spectator Heather Mendenhall told the Chicago Tribune on Saturday she was watching the show from a rooftop and saw Hood strike the roof of a high-rise building next door with his feet and then fall -- his parachute trailing behind him.

"His legs caught the tip of the roof, and then he fell over. It was horrible," she said.

The other parachutist, who has not been identified, landed on North Avenue Beach near the main viewing area for the show, fire department spokesman Juan Hernandez said Saturday. He was treated for a broken leg.

"The Knights are a very close-knit team, and the military skydiving community is equally close; we will support Corey's family and each other during this difficult time," Dixon said.

Hood served five tours of duty in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and had earned awards, including two Bronze Stars. He is survived by his wife, Lyndsay.

The accident is under investigation, the Army said, and the team did not perform again Sunday.

The annual two-day air show draws millions of people to Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline. Headliners included the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.