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January 7, 2012 in Region
Mount Rainier reopens after fatal ranger shooting
SEATTLE (AP) — Nearly a week after an Iraq War veteran shot dead a park ranger on New Year’s Day, Mount Rainier National Park has reopened to the public.
Saturday’s somber reopening will be followed with a candle light vigil in nearby Eatonville on Sunday for Margaret Anderson, who was killed by 24-year-old Benjamin Colton Barnes.
Authorities say Barnes fled to the park after a shooting the night before left four injured. He drove his vehicle through a check point and when Anderson tried to stop him, he sprayed her vehicle with bullets.
A manhunt on the mountain ensued, trapping some visitors inside. Barnes was found dead in a creek the following day. An autopsy said he drowned.
Anderson, 34, left behind two children and her husband, also a ranger at the park.
© Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fifth victim dies in Seattle shooting 
peacemonger on January 07 at 1:51 p.m.
I’m glad to see the park re-opening! It will take a long time for the staff there to heal from this tragedy. I wish our congress would reverse the 2010 law that allowed loaded firearms back into National Parks. In fact I wish they would go even further and ban all firearms from entering any National Parks. Perhaps this will possible with a new, enlightened congress elected in 2012.
Maybe someday they could set up screening checkpoints like at our airports for every vehicle that enters. I hate to see it come to that point. But it is such a sad, sick society we live in today and also one that seems to have become increasingly more dangerous with the proliferation of guns.
The National Parks are special. They are one of the last few places that we should be able to feel safe in. Places we should be able to take our kids to and reflect on how the country used to be. Without seeing people getting shot!
RedCedar on January 07 at 2:10 p.m.
That’s a very understandable reaction at this point.
woamike on January 07 at 3:21 p.m.
NO law would have prevented this. You could even repeal the 2nd ammendment and the bad guys would still have guns and would do bad things with them.
TSA type check-points in national parks? Are you serious? I guess some of you are willing to give up your liberty as long as you can “feel” safe. Thanks, no. We already live in too much of a police state now. We definitely DON’T need more TSA security theater.
johnclarke on January 07 at 3:42 p.m.
woamike on January 07 at 3:21 p.m.
NO law would have prevented this
You are correct Sir. This has nothing to do with laws, or the new laws allowing weapons in the park. To suggest otherwise is absurd.
mrd on January 07 at 5:06 p.m.
Law abiding cirizens taking guns intoNational Parks is not the problem. The criminal element is the problem and a law wouldn’t matter to them anyway. It’s interesting how anti gun individuals grandstand whenever they can.
peacemonger on January 07 at 6:22 p.m.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could solve crime in the first place…. figure out why people grow into those who assault, injure, and take spirit and life. What are we doing as a country to create individuals who behave uncivilly? I could go into examining countries like Japan, England, and Canada - their gun laws and enforcement, and their lack of violence. But, I won’t because it will only incite those who promote guns. It’s cool on many levels to own guns. It is a freedom and our right. It’s how we use them that is of question. If we pair mentally ill or traumatized individuals (without treatment or support) with weapons, are we then as a society responsible for their improper use of these weapons? It seems like common sense to me….most people who own guns are not mentally ill and they take responsible care of them. When in the hands of emotionally unstable people and violence happens, it seems to me an obvious no-brainer. Duh. This is not rocket science. When are going to enforce background checks and why would we cut programs that I hope help people with mental illness and substance use/abuse/dependency? Because aren’t those the people who are usually reckless with their weapons? When are we systemically going to start giving a “you-know-what” to what happened during their childhood (physically, mentally, enviornmentally, interpersonally, sexually, spiritually, etc?) Does this make sense to anyone else who really, really cares about humanity? I certainly hope so.
1sgdavo on January 07 at 7:00 p.m.
Two things, first one, an Iraq vet in the headlines. Way to hit those who have served honorably through many deployments and served their country selflessly. Nice eye catching headline. Secondly This idiot who received a dishonorable discharge from the military with out completing his military obligation would have carried the guns into the park without caring if it was legal or illegal. Week argument for gun control.
crazyivan44 on January 07 at 10:08 p.m.
Yes peacemonger I would like to hear about Japan, England, and Canada and their lack of violence. You can also include how Canada is reversing many of its weapons restrictions due to their conclusion that the restrictions did not do anything but impede on personal freedoms.
As many have stated people that are legally taking guns into the park are not the problem. There are very very few rangers in any given park, and some of these parks are thousands of square miles. If you choose not to take a weapon to protect yourself just in case, then that is your choice. But to infringe upon the right that others of us make use of and believe in is selfish. If you run into trouble you can’t simply dial 911 and wait 5 minutes for the police to show up.