If it was shot down, I'd bet it was a mistake. The US shot down Iran Air Flght 655, it was a civilian craft. 290 fatalities. Tragic, wasteful, uncalled for, useless and stupid certainly are good words to use, but I doubt that it was deliberate evil.
Aeroplanes make squawks, Iran Air Flight 655's squawk was mode 3 and the US navy mistook it for mode 2, apparently. I'd say this may be something similar.