MARANA, Ariz. — A decorated Navy SEAL died earlier this week from injuries sustained in a parachuting accident in Arizona.
Chief Special Warfare Operator Michael Ernst died on Feb. 19 during a training exercise, according to the Navy SEAL Foundation.
"As you can imagine, Mike's wife, two children (ages 5 and almost 3), and the NSW community are devastated by this loss. The NSF team has been working with the Command to support everyone's needs," the foundation wrote in a statement.
Ernst enlisted in the Navy in 2009 and was awarded the Silver Star, according to CNN.
A report from WTKR states that Ernst was based out of the Virginia area and had been assigned to the East Coast Special Warfare Unit in Hampton Roads. The U.S. Navy is investigating the circumstances surrounding Ernst's death, according to WTKR.
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What is the Valley?
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?:
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
