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By Marisa Ornat
Published: May 21, 2026 at 8:08 AM PDT|Updated: 7 hours ago
ORR, Minn. (Northern News Now) – A man is charged with shooting at a firefighting aircraft and told authorities that if he accidentally hit the fire bomber, “it’s too bad”.
Daniel Pettit, 48, is charged with two felonies — second-degree assault and intentional discharge of a firearm. He remains in the St. Louis County jail.
Bullet hole found in aircraft
Two fire suppression aircraft were responding to a fire in Portage Township near Orr on Friday.
While scooping water, one of the pilots heard a popping sound. At first, the pilot thought he had hit a bird. But once returning, he found the bullet hole on the aircraft’s rudder.
Authorities identified Pettit as a suspect from previous encounters with law enforcement and brought him in for questioning.
Suspect admits to shooting
Pettit said he was crow hunting on Friday. He told authorities he thought the fire bomber wasn’t following FAA regulations and was too close to his home, adding that he probably fired more than five times.
Pettit then said, “If I accidentally hit him while crow hunting, too bad. He endangered my life.”
Pettit appeared in court on Tuesday morning. His bail is set at $75,000. His next court appearance is on Tuesday.