Incident Occurred July 18 In Belgrade, MT

The Salt Lake City Division of the FBI and the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office are seeking information from the public to help identify the person or persons responsible for shots fired from the ground at a crop dusting plane in Belgrade, Montana.

On July 18, 2017, the crop duster, belonging to Headwaters Flying Service, was struck by multiple rounds while in flight over Belgrade. The pilot, who was not hurt, was spraying a wheat field approximately two miles east of the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, in the vicinity of the Springvale and Outlaw subdivisions along Airport Road in Belgrade.

One bullet struck the aircraft 18 inches from the cockpit. A bullet fragment found in one wing was determined to have been fired from a .22 caliber long rifle.The pilot was able to land the aircraft safely in Three Forks, Montana. The aircraft was grounded until it was repaired.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this shooting.

The FBI says that anyone with information concerning this case should contact the FBI's Salt Lake City Division at (801) 579-6187.

(Images provided with FBI news release)

FMI: www.fbi.gov