FBI says it's evaluating abuse allegations against Pitt

The FBI is gathering information about an incident involving Brad Pitt and his family aboard a private flight last week, the agency has confirmed.

Spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the agency is still evaluating whether to open an investigation into allegations Pitt was abusive during the flight toward one of his six children with actress Angelina Jolie Pitt, as several media outlets have reported.

The reports from anonymous sources state the actor is under investigation by a child welfare agency because of the September 14 incident. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Families refused to say whether it was investigating Pitt.
 

A representative for Pitt declined comment yesterday.

Jolie Pitt filed for divorce Monday and her lawyer released a statement the following day saying she came to the decision "for the health of the family." She listed their separation date as September 15, the day after the alleged plane incident, and is seeking sole custody of all six of the children.

A phone message left for Jolie Pitt's attorney Laura Wasser was not returned yesterday.

Amara Suarez, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, said the agency could not confirm whether it was investigating Pitt or the well-being of the former couple's children.

Koochiching County, Minnesota, Sheriff Perryn Hedlund told The Associated Press yesterday that Brad Pitt was on a plane that landed at the International Falls, Minnesota, airport near the Canadian border on September 14.

Hedlund said his sheriff's deputies were not called to the airport, and International Falls police were also not called.

"There's no incident whatsoever reported to law enforcement," Hedlund said.

He said he didn't know why the plane landed in International Falls, but said it's not uncommon for hockey players or other celebrities to stop at the airport.

Messages left with the airport's manager were not returned yesterday.

Pitt and Jolie Pitt known as "Brangelina" were together for 12 years but only wed in August 2014. They married privately at their French chateau in the Provence hamlet of Correns with their children serving as ring bearers and throwing flower petals. They announced the ceremony days later.

They have six children: 15-year-old Maddox, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, 10-year-old Shiloh, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.