Diary (May 19, 2026)
Online diary of Karl Jones for Tuesday May 19, 2026.
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Diary
Daniel Christian Pettit
Law enforcement has arrested the man they say shot at a DNR-contracted fire-suppression aircraft while it was filling up with water at Kjostad Lake to fight a wildfire in Portage Township Friday night. According to St. Louis County, the plane landed safely and the pilot was not injured.
Following a raid last night, 48-year-old Daniel Christian Pettit was taken into custody. He's now being held at the St. Louis County jail on three felony offenses: discharging a firearm, second-degree assault, and criminal damage to property.
Officers arrested him at his house in the area, located on Orr Buyck Rd, which runs right next to the lake. What's interesting is that the FAA, FBI, MN DNR, MN BCA, Minnesota State Patrol, as well as the Duluth and Superior police departments, assisted in the investigation. While the county did put out a call for tips this weekend, that level of multi-agency coordination points to a highly sophisticated forensic operation behind the scenes.
I'll continue to follow these court proceedings, because I know a lot of us are wondering -- why shoot at a plane fighting a fire just miles from your own doorstep?
- Post @ Facebook (18 May 2026)
