Indeed, not a good start = The National Park Ranger corp is a small tight knit society and we are mourning the tragic murder of a young Ranger, mother of two very young children (age 4 & 2), at Mt. Rainier NP... Phil Young Senior Special Agent (Ret.)
"The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees expresses its deepest condolences to Superintendent King and the staff at Mount Rainier National Park on the tragic death of Ranger Margaret Anderson. Heartfelt sympathies are also extended to Margaret's husband, Eric, her 2 daughters, her family and friends. We are all part of the National Park Service family, and this senseless death affects us all. We are heartbroken. How quickly a wonderful story of a dual career couple, finally working together in a beautiful place, can turn tragic. Her loss is painful for all of us. We must take strength from each other and provide whatever support is necessary to her family and the park staff at MORA."
Maureen Finnerty, Chair
CNPSR
Maureen Finnerty, Chair
CNPSR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
INCIDENTS
Mount Rainier NP
Suspect In Ranger Killing Found Dead
Ranger Margaret Anderson, 34, was shot and killed on the road to Paradise
at Mount Rainier National Park on New Year’s Day morning. The body of her
assailant, Benjamin Barnes, who fled into the backcountry, was found by
searchers yesterday afternoon.
The intensive manhunt for Barnes came to an end when searchers in an
aircraft spotted a body lying face down, partially submerged in the
Paradise River in the vicinity of Narada Falls. Searchers on the ground
traversed challenging terrain to reach the spot and confirmed that it was
Barnes and that he was dead.
An investigation into the incident is being led by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation with park rangers and Pierce County Sheriff’s Department
officers assisting. The Western Incident Management Team (Denny Ziemann,
IC) is en route to the park to assist with planning a memorial service for
Anderson and with ongoing park needs. Information on the service will be
posted on InsideNPS once it becomes available. The park will remain closed
to the public through today to let staff begin to work through their grief.
On the morning of January 1st, Anderson set up a traffic block to intercept
a vehicle that had failed to stop at a chain-up checkpoint. The driver,
Benjamin Barnes, opened fire on Anderson, killing her, and then fled on
foot into the woods. Anderson had worked at Mount Rainier for three years.
She is survived by her husband, Eric, also a ranger in the park, and by two
young children.
Mount Rainier National Park closed during the hunt for the gunman, with the
park evacuating park visitors to get them out of potential danger. There
were 125 visitors in lockdown at the Paradise Visitor Center from Sunday
noon until 3:30 a.m. on Monday. They were escorted out of the park in
small groups of five vehicles, accompanied by law enforcement officers.
There were also 25 visitors at the National Park Inn at Longmire who were
evacuated out of the park. Visitors had been held at these locations for
their own safety.
Approximately 200 personnel were involved in search operations on Monday,
January 2nd. Agencies participating in the search effort included the
National Park Service, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Federal Bureau
of Investigation, Tacoma Police Department, Washington State Patrol,
Customs & Border Patrol, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Forest
Service, Pierce County Fire Districts, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department,
Enumclaw PD, Portland PD, Seattle PD, Snohomish PD, and law enforcement
officers from other jurisdictions as well. Resources included K-9 units,
armored vehicles, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Director Jarvis issued this statement early on Monday morning:
“Yesterday morning, Park Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot and killed while
making a traffic stop at Mount Rainier National Park. As I write this late
Sunday night, the murderer is still at large in the park, which has been
closed. We are working closely with the FBI and local law enforcement to
protect visitors and staff and to track down Margaret’s killer and bring
him to justice.
“This is 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. Margaret was killed while doing her job –
protecting the visiting public on one of the park’s busiest days of the
year.
“Last week, we mourned the death of U.S. Park Police Officer Mike Boehm,
who suffered a heart attack while responding to a serious incident in
Washington, DC. Mike left behind a wife and a son.
“Our hearts go out to both families, and I ask you to keep them in your
thoughts and prayers in the hard days ahead.
“As updates from Rainier are available we will share them with all
employees through InsideNPS. These losses are painful reminders of the
risks faced by National Park Service employees every day. Please be careful
out there and watch out for each other.”
[Lee Taylor, Mount Rainier, and Patti Wold, Western Incident Management
Team]
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
INCIDENTS
Mount Rainier NP
Suspect In Ranger Killing Found Dead
Ranger Margaret Anderson, 34, was shot and killed on the road to Paradise
at Mount Rainier National Park on New Year’s Day morning. The body of her
assailant, Benjamin Barnes, who fled into the backcountry, was found by
searchers yesterday afternoon.
The intensive manhunt for Barnes came to an end when searchers in an
aircraft spotted a body lying face down, partially submerged in the
Paradise River in the vicinity of Narada Falls. Searchers on the ground
traversed challenging terrain to reach the spot and confirmed that it was
Barnes and that he was dead.
An investigation into the incident is being led by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation with park rangers and Pierce County Sheriff’s Department
officers assisting. The Western Incident Management Team (Denny Ziemann,
IC) is en route to the park to assist with planning a memorial service for
Anderson and with ongoing park needs. Information on the service will be
posted on InsideNPS once it becomes available. The park will remain closed
to the public through today to let staff begin to work through their grief.
On the morning of January 1st, Anderson set up a traffic block to intercept
a vehicle that had failed to stop at a chain-up checkpoint. The driver,
Benjamin Barnes, opened fire on Anderson, killing her, and then fled on
foot into the woods. Anderson had worked at Mount Rainier for three years.
She is survived by her husband, Eric, also a ranger in the park, and by two
young children.
Mount Rainier National Park closed during the hunt for the gunman, with the
park evacuating park visitors to get them out of potential danger. There
were 125 visitors in lockdown at the Paradise Visitor Center from Sunday
noon until 3:30 a.m. on Monday. They were escorted out of the park in
small groups of five vehicles, accompanied by law enforcement officers.
There were also 25 visitors at the National Park Inn at Longmire who were
evacuated out of the park. Visitors had been held at these locations for
their own safety.
Approximately 200 personnel were involved in search operations on Monday,
January 2nd. Agencies participating in the search effort included the
National Park Service, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Federal Bureau
of Investigation, Tacoma Police Department, Washington State Patrol,
Customs & Border Patrol, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Forest
Service, Pierce County Fire Districts, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department,
Enumclaw PD, Portland PD, Seattle PD, Snohomish PD, and law enforcement
officers from other jurisdictions as well. Resources included K-9 units,
armored vehicles, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Director Jarvis issued this statement early on Monday morning:
“Yesterday morning, Park Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot and killed while
making a traffic stop at Mount Rainier National Park. As I write this late
Sunday night, the murderer is still at large in the park, which has been
closed. We are working closely with the FBI and local law enforcement to
protect visitors and staff and to track down Margaret’s killer and bring
him to justice.
“This is 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. Margaret was killed while doing her job –
protecting the visiting public on one of the park’s busiest days of the
year.
“Last week, we mourned the death of U.S. Park Police Officer Mike Boehm,
who suffered a heart attack while responding to a serious incident in
Washington, DC. Mike left behind a wife and a son.
“Our hearts go out to both families, and I ask you to keep them in your
thoughts and prayers in the hard days ahead.
“As updates from Rainier are available we will share them with all
employees through InsideNPS. These losses are painful reminders of the
risks faced by National Park Service employees every day. Please be careful
out there and watch out for each other.”
[Lee Taylor, Mount Rainier, and Patti Wold, Western Incident Management
Team]
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