Posted on 01/02/2012 10:54:47 AM PST by An American!
Park Ranger Margaret Anderson, a mother of two who was married to another ranger at the park, was shot about 10:30 a.m. Sunday after setting up a roadblock to stop a car that was fleeing another officer.
A man who was being sought in the shooting of four people at a New Year's party in South King County early Sunday is suspected in the fatal shooting of a park ranger in Mount Rainier National Park later in the morning.
....Searchers flew over the park Sunday night in a plane with infrared equipment that picks up signs of body heat.
Meanwhile, a tactical team was trying to track the assailant through nearly 2 feet of fresh snow as temperatures fell. More than 100 law-enforcement officers from the National Park Service, FBI, Pierce County and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife were on the scene.
"We believe we have a good track on him," Troyer said. "But he's way out ahead of us." The gunman's tracks went into creeks and other waterways, making it more difficult for crews to follow. "He's intentionally trying to get out of the snow," Troyer said....
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
They would be wise to back of and not push this man, weather over time will drive him out or kill him. He is a combat vet and has mental problems.
That said, prayers for the family and safety for the officers who are on the search!
BreakingNews
Suspect in the slaying of Mt Rainier park ranger has been found dead, via reporter for Seattle’s King5 - @joegryer bit.ly/tx0c8C
10 minutes ago
JUST IN: The shooter was found dead in a ditch. No word yet if it was self-inflicted or otherwise.
Thanks for the update. Waiting for them to I.D. this guy and detail his military background.
Park rangers and game wardens have always struck me as terribly vulnerable. Important jobs that take a special kind of confidence and dedication.
Benjamin Colton Bsrnes age 24.
www.king5.com
Local Fox News radio feed just reported they’re still searching for the suspect, who has now been identified as Benjamin Barns (sp? could be Barnes?).
Find him. Kill him. Make it hurt!
Benjamin Colton Barnes
2009 - DUI 2011 - two restraining orders filed against him by the mother of his one-year-old child. In November, a court ruled that he could only have two supervised visits a week with his daughter until he completed a domestic violence and mental health investigation.
The restraining orders indicate that Barnes is National Guard member or Reservist.
Yes, very horrible, and her husband also is a ranger. Park Rangers should have better tactical training since they seem to be on patrol alone most times.
Are park rangers armed? Why is god’s name would this women go after a nut like this. Let him go and call the state police.
They are armed, they’re like regular cops.
He was no match for her. I hate to say it but this is a mans job.
>>>He was no match for her. I hate to say it but this is a mans job.
Any male, unarmed park ranger would be just as dead.
Word was he blew through a chain-up roadblock, then turned around and came back at her. Shot into her SUV several times. She never had a chance. She didn’t go after him...he went after her.
it is a man’s job, for sure. I took a couple of first aid etc courses taught by park rangers. Some of the stuff they do is pretty intense (drug indictment, water rescue, convict hunting). The ranger really had some interesting stories.
All of them are armed. Many are hard asses. Our DNR people up here milk the power they have for every iota they’ve got.
“All of them are armed. Many are hard asses.”
I don’t doubt that. I can’t see any other types being attracted to the job. The lack of immediate backup, the requisite degree of self confidence and self initiative are what set this apart from most (not all) law enforcement and military tasks though, or look like it from an outsider’s perspective.
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