Daniel Pettit

ORR — A 48-year-old Portage Township man is accused of shooting at a firefighting aircraft battling a wildland fire north of Orr on Friday, striking the plane as it worked the blaze last week.
Daniel Christian Pettit, of Orr, was arrested Sunday evening and booked into the St. Louis County Jail on felony charges of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, first-degree criminal damage to property, and reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality.
According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and several state, local, and federal firefighting resources responded around 4 p.m. Friday, May 15, to a wildfire in Portage Township, about 15 miles northeast of Orr.
Two single-engine Air Tractor fire suppression aircraft operating under contract with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources were dispatched to assist crews on the ground.
Authorities said firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before one of the aircraft returned to the Hibbing airport, where it was discovered the plane appeared to have been struck by a bullet.
Investigators believe the aircraft was hit around 7 p.m. after scooping water from Kjostad Lake during firefighting operations. The aircraft landed safely and the pilot was not injured.
During the investigation, authorities identified Pettit as a suspect. Investigators executed a search warrant Sunday at Pettit’s residence on the 3500 block of the Orr-Buyck Rd. in Portage Township, where several firearms and ammunition were seized.
The sheriff’s office noted that interfering with firefighting aircraft places pilots, firefighters, and the public at significant risk.
Multiple agencies assisted in the investigation, including the Federal Aviation Administration, FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota DNR, Minnesota State Patrol, Duluth Police Department, and Superior Police Department.
According to the St. Louis County Jail roster, Pettit was being held without bail as of Monday, pending an initial court hearing.