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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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A dreadful business.
It sounds like the killer was already a fugitive, after shootings last night. As John says, if he survives a night out (no fire), he may come out shooting. Or perhaps he'll kill himself. He'd know the likely consequences of his actions.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 1, 2012 - 11:17pm PT
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They have named a "person of interest"
LONGMIRE — A park ranger at Mount Rainier National Park was fatally shot this morning, and the park has been closed because the suspected shooter remains at large near Paradise.
Police said this afternoon they’ve identified a “strong person of interest” in the ranger's shooting.
Pierce County Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said 24-year-old Benjamin Colton Barnes is believed to have military experience and possess skills to survive in the wild.
Troyer said the man’s vehicle was recovered, which had weapons and body armor.
Park spokesman Kevin Bacher identified the ranger who was shot as Margaret Anderson. The shooting occurred before 11 a.m. near the Barn Flats area, about 1 mile below Paradise.
Anderson, 34, an Eatonville resident, was married with two small children. She also was a trained EMT and married to another ranger, Eric Anderson.
Units from the Washington State Patrol, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and the FBI remain at the park and continue to hunt for the suspect. The sheriff's department said the suspected gunman is on foot and armed with a long rifle.
Melinda Simpson, operations manager for Mount Rainier National Park guest services, said the Jackson Visitor Center went into lockdown at 11:30 a.m., and the National Park Inn at Longmire at 1 p.m. The Paradise Inn was already closed for the season.
Simpson told the News Tribune of Tacoma that she got all the guests together in the lodge at the National Park Inn and is trying to keep the mood "rational and sane" and keep guests comfortable. She said there is a strong sheriff's department presence around Longmire.
Visitors continued to hike and snowshoeing at Rainier, however they are being asked to return to the lodge or to their cars by officers who are searching for the suspect.
Trooper Guy Gill of the Washington State Patrol posted on Twitter at 2:04 p.m., "If you're leaving the park you will most likely be stopped and questioned."
At 2:40 p.m., Gill posted, "There are officers from multiple agencies coordinating their efforts in the park now. Cell and radio coverage is very poor."
Late this afternoon Troyer said armored vehicles were being brought in to evacuate about 100 people who are hunkered down in cabins who police worry may be in the line of fire.
According to a park news release, a driver failed to pull over during a routine traffic stop by another ranger around 10:11 a.m. The suspect fled in his vehicle and Anderson set up a road block to intercept the driver.
The assailant got out of his vehicle, shot Anderson and then fled on foot. It took 90 minutes for back up to reach Anderson because the assailant continued shooting at law enforcement as they arrived.
Within minutes of Anderson being shot, the park was closed. Troopers turned away visitors at the Nisqually entrance to the park. The snow play area at Paradise opened for the season Saturday.
Anderson, who was stationed at Longmire, radioed for help after she had been shot. Sources said officers reached Barn Flats by ATV and snowmobiles.
"Officer down, information just coming in. Stay out of area suspect armed with a long rifle on foot," the Pierce County Sheriff's Department reported on Twitter around 11:25 a.m. today.
Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/01/1771192/shooting-mt-rainier-national-park.html#storylink=cpy
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Hilt
Social climber
Utah
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My condolences. I can't imagine what her husband is feeling right now in care of their little girls without their mama... This should never have happened.
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laughingman
Mountain climber
Seattle WA
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The killing appears to be related to an early morning shooting in Skyway in which a man and woman were critically injured and two other men wounded during a house party, according to Sgt. Cindi West of the King County Sheriff’s Department.
I think the suspect is likely to go out in a hail of bullets rather then test his luck trying to avoid capital punishment in court.
My condolences to the family of the park ranger who has died...
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dugillian
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Condolences to her family and friends....so very sad.
The wonderful US Congress passed legislation not so long ago allowing for every in-bred and non in-bred to carry whatever gun they choose in all US National Parks for the 1st time in many decades. Sadly, this will not be the only death by gunshot we will be hearing of.......
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Dugillian: It is inappropriate to turn this thread into a "anti-gun" in National Parks rant. The policy-shift would not have affected this tragedy and your comment is off-topic.
Please show some taste, and delete your comment.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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This just makes me very sad. To have such human violence occur in a place that is truly a house of extreme beauty is...
Well, I cannot think of a word for it.
Condolences to her family and friends. This guy will meet justice, in this world or another.
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reddirt
climber
PNW
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current temps at Longmire: 31.8 °F Feels Like 32 °F
TV in background reports they're using heat-sensing aircraft.
If the alleged 24 yr old Iraq War Vet shooter died & is cooling or has already cooled to ambient temps, he's not gonna show up on a sensor...
Tragic & many are seriously needing closure or at least confirmation alleged shooter can't shoot anymore...
Hope they find the body as tomorrow is 80% chance snow.
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laughingman
Mountain climber
Seattle WA
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current temps at Longmire: 31.8 °F Feels Like 32 °F
TV in background reports they're using heat-sensing aircraft.
If the alleged 24 yr old Iraq War Vet shooter died & is cooling or has already cooled to ambient temps, he's not gonna show up on a sensor...
Tragic & many are seriously needing closure or at least confirmation alleged shooter can't shoot anymore...
Hope they find the body as tomorrow is 80% chance snow.
My thought exactly...
The FBI is now involved and are attempting to track him down with thermo-optical cameras...
Apparently the suspect has some serious issues resulting from serving in iraq in 2007-2009.
I personally would not want to drive anywhere near the park as he might try to carjack some passer by...
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reddirt
climber
PNW
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I heard everyone exiting (exited) are getting an LE vehicle escort & will be/have been taken to Ashford for mandatory interview.
edit: what a nightmare/cluster... there must be a TON of BC skiing/snowshoeing folks who went out there this weekend due to the awesome Christmas weekend snow. Nearby ski place got 22". There may actually still be some in the BC who haven't heard... Hope they stay out of harm's way & that alleged shooter is, well, frozen stiff, unable to do more damage.
The checkpoint that the murdered ranger was setting up/manning, I heard, was a standard check for chains/4wd/snowtires. Not sure if info is correct but if that was the case, ugh...
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Blessings to her family.
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laughingman
Mountain climber
Seattle WA
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I think the suspect will be killed via a shootout with police or hypothermia/ wounds inflicted in the gun battle after he mortally wounded the park ranger.
A photo of the suspect (and his guns) can be found here...
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57350762/park-ranger-shot-at-mt-rainier-natl-park/
Note: the Saiga 12 shotgun with a 8 round mag. He likely used it to kill the park ranger.
Again my condolences to the family of the park ranger who has died...
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Horrible way to start the year and so very, very tragic for the family.
I am sure there are plenty of other boys back from Iraq who would be willing to be deputised and use THEIR military skills to track down and reduce this mutant to mushroom food.
Please do not capture him! Swift justice is all that is needed here.
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reddirt
climber
PNW
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If the killer was already on the run, you wonder why anyone ever approached in a way that would allow them to get shot. And shot with a rifle. How strange is that? Not only horrible, but terribly odd. I can't imagine that the vic, a woman working for the forest service, ever got training to handle such a situation.
The checkpoint doesn't sound like it was in set up response to the alleged shooter's initial fleeing from the 1st ranger/officer. From ABC News it sounds like Margaret Anderson was setting up a standard tire/chain/4wd checkpoint... common this time of year.
Perhaps there was a unfortunate & fatal communication gap.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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This is just a painfully sad story. Deepest condolences to Ranger Anderson's family.
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kc
Trad climber
the cats
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Such a horrible set of unforeseeable circumstances. Probably best not to 'blame' the ranger for getting killed, and probably best to not turn the threat into any kind of rant nor focus on the killer. He deserves absolutely zero of our interest. Let's just give respect to the victim and her family and pray that everyone can somehow get through this.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Some ninny here thinks a no-carry in the Forest law would have changed this guys actions? Duh.
I hope her husband gets to him first.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 2, 2012 - 12:09pm PT
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just watched the new conference.
The initial checkpoint he blew through was a tire chain check. a ranger went after him and the woman who was killed came down from Paradise. She and another ranger (in another car) stopped him. before they could do anything he jumped out of his car and opened fire. Anderson was hit (while still in her car) and the other ranger's car was shot but he was able to throw it in reverse and get out of the immediate area. The shooter stayed in the woods for about 90 minutes and fired on anyone trying to get to Anderson's vehicle. The shooter is a person of interest in another shooting that happened the night before. It sounds like he had gear with him and was heading up there to get away until things cooled down about the first shooting.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Because this thread is merely a discussion about strange and troubling circumstances, with no personal connection to the deceased, given a humane degree of respect, there is, IMO, no need to walk on egg shells in talking about the case.
JL
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Paul S
Mountain climber
Portland, Or
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more here...
The suspect did not stop for at a traction device checkpoint. Rangers did not know they were dealing with an armed suspect that was on the run.
http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/
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