You are here

Updated: Suspect In Mount Rainier National Park Shooting Found Dead

Share
National Park Rangers protect the public as well as the resource, and at times that requires the ultimate sacrifice. This moving memorial to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Ranger Joseph D. Kolodski sits beside Blue Ridge Parkway headquarters in Asheville, NC. Stationed in Great Smoky, he died in 1998 "protecting visitors from harm" while responding to an incident on the southern end of the Parkway. Randy Johnson photo.

Editor's note: This updates that the suspect confirmed dead in the park and provides additional details, including his name.

 

An Iraqi war veteran wanted in connection with the slaying of a ranger in Mount Rainier National Park was found dead Monday afternoon in a drainage near one of the park's hallmark waterfalls just south of Paradise.

How Benjamin Colton Barnes died, however, was not immediately known. While ground teams had reached the location of his body, they had not reported whether he had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, from hyopthermia, or perhaps from a fall, park spokeswoman Lee Snook said.

Mr. Barnes had been the subject of a manhunt that grew to involve more than 200 law enforcement personnel from state, local and federal jurisdictions after Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot New Year's Day. At times he waded through chest-deep snow to evade the search teams, Ms. Snook said.

“The last time his tracks were found the snow was about chest deep, so it would have been cold, wet and difficult," she said. The tracks indicated that he was "post-holing" and had no snowshoes, the spokeswoman said.

Earlier Monday, park officials said aerial teams had spotted Mr. Barnes' prone body in a steep drainage near Narda Falls, a 176-foot cascade of the Paradise River that plunges over a basalt wall in two pitches, one falling about 159 feet, the other about 17.

Ranger Anderson, a 34-year-old law enforcement ranger, was shot and killed when she tried to intercept Mr. Barnes' car as it fled a routine checkpoint where park visitors were checked to see if they had chains for their tires. At a point on the road above Longmire and about a mile from Paradise the ranger used her cruiser to block the road so she could stop the man shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday.

"The assailant jumped from his car and opened fire with a shotgun, fatally wounding Ranger Anderson. The assailant then fled on foot into the woods," another park spokeswoman, Lee Taylor, said Sunday evening.

Alternate Text
Ranger Margaret Anderson. NPS photo.

When other rangers responded to the scene, they were prevented from reaching Ranger Anderson by the man, who kept them pinned down with gunfire from the woods, according to other park officials.

"It was about 90 minutes before they could reach her," Ms. Snook said Sunday afternoon.

The ranger, who became just the ninth ranger in Park Service history to be murdered in the line of duty, left behind a husband who also was a ranger in the park, and two young children, aged 2 and 4, according to park officials.

The more than 200 law enforcement personnel from the park, the FBI, and surrounding jurisdictions continued their manhunt into Sunday night, aided by a fixed-wing aircraft with forward-looking infrared to scan the ground, she said.

At Paradise, 125 park visitors who had come to Paradise to enjoy the day were moved for their safety into the Jackson Memorial Visitor Center along with 17 park staff.

"The visitor center has a restaurant to provide food, restrooms, and water, and law enforcement officers are on hand to provide protection," said Ms. Taylor.

Later Sunday evening they were escorted by authorities out of the park.

News reports out of Seattle said the man being sought was thought to have been involved in a shooting at a house there earlier Sunday, and that when authorities searched a car abandoned near Ranger Anderson they found it held survival gear and body armor.

In Washington, D.C., Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Sunday that he was "deeply saddened by the tragic, horrific and cowardly murder today at Mount Rainier National Park."

"The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service will do everything possible to bring the perpetrator of this crime to justice and to ensure the safety of park visitors and other park rangers," the secretary said in a prepared statement. "This tragedy serves as a reminder of the risks undertaken by the men and women of the National Park Service and law enforcement officers across the Department every day, and we thank them for their service. My thoughts and prayers are with Margaret's family in this difficult time."

Park Service Director Jon Jarvis called the ranger's murder "a heartbreaking, senseless tragedy."

"Margaret was just 34 years old. She and her husband Eric, who is also a Park Ranger at Mount Rainier, have two young children," he added. "Margaret was killed while doing her job: protecting the visiting public on one of the park’s busiest days of the year."

Over the years more than 200 Park Service staff have died or been killed on the job. Kris Eggle, a ranger at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2002 while pursuing suspected drug runners who were armed with AK-47s.

Featured Article

Comments

Kurt - according to several reports, the gunman was not driving out of the park after turning around.  He blew past a stop where rangers were checking vehicles for chains, and encountered Ranger Anderson's roadblock on the way up to Paradise.  The general feeling among staff at Paradise -- as expressed first-hand on some social media -- is that her actions "may have prevented a bloodbath".  Given that the gunman was driving up a one-way road (only outlet closed in winter), with a busy Visitor Center at the top, in a vehicle that apparently had evidence of multiple weapons, body armor and possibly other survival gear, their speculation may be accurate.


I am very saddened to hear about the death of Ranger Anderson, we have enjoyed parks around the USA and all the kindness and help offered by the Park Ranger's was always amazing. Prayers to the family of Ranger Anderson and all Ranger's that are out everyday doing their jobs so that we, the public, can come enjoy the beautiful park's God has given to us to use.


The irony -- it looks like she attempted to stop him out of concern for HIS safety. 


This proves that visitors should not be allowed to bring guns in the parks. Those who passed the law that allows guns in National Parks should feel some responsiblity for Ranger Anderson. May GOD help her family during this difficult time.


My husband and I visit and camp regularly at many National Parks. The rangers are true public servants and heroes. This is an incredibly tragic event and our thoughts are with her husband and children. Thank you to all the rangers for all you do every day to keep everyone safe.


Honey, that law did not allow this situation to happen.  Anyone who has already killed someone with a gun and has a car full of weaponry, ammo, and survival gear; or who would start a fire fight with leo's would not be detered by a little ole law which says he cannot bring a gun into a National Park.


I don't think the law allowing visitors to bring guns in the parks is the problem.  Gun related violence/killings/suicides have happened in national parks long before the law to allow visitors to bring guns into parks was passed (obviously, people were bringing them in even though it was illegal).  I seriously doubt the gunman in this situation, had it been 2 years ago (before the law to allow guns in national parks was passed), would have thought "Hey, it's illegal to bring guns into national parks... I guess I won't go in then".  He had a reason for going into the park, and it was not for recreation. The people we need to worry about (such as the gunman in this situation) will bring guns into national parks whether there is a law prohibiting it or not (as shown in all of the gun related incidents occuring in national parks prior to 2010).


You are right on.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.