How was the Chinese spy balloon shot down?

A suspected Chinese spy balloon which has been moving within the United States for a while has been shot down off the coast of South Carolina.

Security officials initially advised against shooting down the balloon out of fear that falling debris could cause risk to citizens in the coast of South Carolina.

But during the earlier parts of the day, President Biden told reporters that “we’re gonna take care of” the balloon.

How was the Chinese spy balloon shot down?

According to U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News, the balloon was shot down by an Air Force fighter aircraft, using an AIM-9X missile just after 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.

Below is a Twitter footage of the shooting of the Chinese spy balloon:

Just shot at it! View from my house in Myrtle. pic.twitter.com/85EZ3EDbYq

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— ashlyn (@ashlyninsc) February 4, 2023

Ships had also been deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.in U.S. airspace.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the balloon shot down by the US over the Atlantic Ocean Saturday was being used by the Chinese government “to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States.”

A statement put out by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reads:

“The Department of Defense developed options to take down the balloon safely over our territorial waters, while closely monitoring its path and intelligence collection activities,”

“Today’s deliberate and lawful action demonstrates that President Biden and his national security team will always put the safety and security of the American people first while responding effectively to the (People’s Republic of China)’s unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”