A Minnesota man has been federally indicted for allegedly shooting and damaging a firefighting aircraft while it was battling a wildfire in northern Minnesota earlier this year. According to the Justice Department, Daniel Christian Pettit of Portage Township faces one count of damaging an aircraft and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The incident occurred May 15 while pilot Jorden Grieff was conducting water drops near Kjostad Lake. According to MPR News, Grieff heard popping sounds during his 35th pass to scoop water from the lake while flying approximately 500 to 700 feet above the ground. He initially believed the aircraft had struck a bird and continued the firefighting mission.
Damage Found After Landing
After landing in Hibbing, Minnesota, Grieff discovered damage to the aircraft’s rudder and trim tab. Investigators determined that a bullet had entered through the bottom of the rudder and exited through its left side. The pilot was not injured.
“If I accidentally hit him crow hunting, too bad,” Pettit allegedly told investigators, according to MPR News. “He endangered my life.”
Federal Charges
The Justice Department said Pettit told investigators after his arrest on related state charges that he had fired a 12-gauge shotgun and a .308-caliber rifle while the aircraft was nearby, but claimed he had been hunting crows. Pettit made his initial federal court appearance Monday. The case was investigated by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
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