Ranger Shot In Rainier Natl Park

[Gunner3456]

Anyone have stats on the number of Federal park rangers killed on duty in say the last 50 years?

On a side note, I was at the Fort Clatsop NP a few weeks ago and while there were no handgun signs on the doors there was also a sign that said something about the allowing of handguns on NP grounds. I am thinking that I am a bit peeved that the little signs with guns and the circle/line symbol thru them should've been taken off sometime ago.

I have been carefully following a rule which says I can't carry into any federal building whether owned or rented. That's SS, VA, the Post Office, etc. I don't know why a park building would be any different. I follow that rule at ranger stations just to be safe.

 

[Gunner3456]

Tell him what you think

Heres his email:
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Wade,

As a responsible gun owner, I'd like to say that no gun law would have stopped the crazed shooting at the National Park.

While I feel terrible for the families and friends of the 5 shooting victims and even the shooter's family and friends, I know better than to believe that man would have followed a law banning guns in the park. He certainly broke enough far more serious ones before he reached the place where he tragically shot that ranger.

My prayers go up for you, your team, and everyone involved.

Thanks,

My Real name
My Real Town

 

[shayne]

Well buddy boy froze to death so at least he wont kill again.

 

[mkwerx]

Was watching the news channel the local McD's has playing, and the talking heads on there were behind the ball - they were stating that this guy was still alive and the manhunt was on-going. They were also quick to paint all gun owners with a broad brush - they claimed the party he was at was an "Assault Weapon/Tupperware Party" where "guns were brought for examination and exchange" (this was HLN news, by the way). They kept showing the picture of him shirtless, with the Saiga and what looked like a Mac-10 in his crossed arms. The picture of the ranger looked like it was taken for her creds.

They also did their dead level best to push that she was a mommy and a wife, and down played her role as a law enforcement officer who died on duty. They were definitely pushing the anti-gun agenda, going so far as to state like it was a fact that if gun control had been in place, these shootings and killings wouldn't have happened. They also played up his military training, trying to make him sound like special forces. Big hit piece on gun owners AND veterans.

My thoughts/prayers are with Ranger Anderson's family - and the family of the assailant. He came home broken inside, and while it's very early on, I get the impression that instead of finding help coping with the return to civillian life, he got crapped on and went on a downward spiral before finally snapping. I'm sure there were friends/family that saw the signs - and it is a damn shame that someone didn't intervene before it got to this point. I'm sure we'll learn more about him as details come out with the investigation - and my opinion of him is subject to change.

I also think we're going to see the press pushing more for "gun control" measures, Obama's admin and the BATF pushing for more restrictions, and we'll probably see more shootings publicized to further the anti gun agenda - because politicians flock to tragedy like sharks to blood in order to push their agenda.

 

[JackFrost]

Unless he grabbed some really good cold weather gear he won`t lost long, he probley has hypothermia by now, I`m in thurston county, its icing up down here in the valley. Its a lot colder up in the hills. Would be a fitting tribute to the Ranger for the park to take him out.

Wow! good for you Oldbrass, I am impressed! You definately called that one early! Good show!

 

[receo]

Well bill wade responded to my email. His response was mean spirited and threatening. I thanked him for his feedback and forwarded his email to the national park foundation, whom i formerly contributed to. Silly fella sent the email from his personal email account. So I guess that is where emails should go from here out.

[email protected]

 

[mkwerx]

Shocking - mean spirited/threatening response from an anti-gunner elitist. I hope he enjoys the responses from thoughtful law abiding gun owners. He probably won't read them all though. Rational argument/debate is something folks of that mentality don't do well.

 

[drew]

Well bill wade responded to my email. His response was mean spirited and threatening. I thanked him for his feedback and forwarded his email to the national park foundation, whom i formerly contributed to. Silly fella sent the email from his personal email account. So I guess that is where emails should go from here out.

[email protected]

Care to post your email and his response?

 

[receo]

What i sent:
Hi Bill,
As a contributing member of the nps, I am offended by you politicizing the
tragedy that took place on Mt.Rainier yesterday. It was truly in poor
taste. Is murder legal in the
national parks? I believe there are laws against such acts and criminals
don't follow laws. To place any blame or guilt on the legislative bodies
that protect our second amendment rights is short sighted and out of reason.
The criminal is responsible for his actions . Period. I will not be
renewing my contributions to the nps this year and will encourage my
associates to do the same. A retraction of your comments are in order.

His response:
Your level of ignorance is showing through, and I'm offended that you are
using the threat of being "a contributing member of the nps" - since the
"nps" is a government agency, I'm sure you haven't "contributed" a dime to
it, except through your taxes - so it's OK with me if you decide to quit
contributing through your taxes. Period.

End of email.

For the record I contribute financially to the national parks foundation. Well until today. And yes I must be ignorant because I said nps not npf.

 

[EMP9596]

I would print out multiple copys of both your mail and his response as is and explain in short nps/npf.
Then mail copies to the Director of the National Park Service. NPF and State of Washington Congressional Reps.

mjd

 

[Spad]

Bill Wade is nothing but a "pest", to give him higher standing is an insult to vermin. Sad day for the Rangers in our beautiful Mountain. Prayers for Ranger Anderson and her family. Spad

 

[The B]

I felt no pleasure at hearing they'd found him dead. Nothing is gained by his death, except more death.. another child with a dead parent.

This isn't a man behaving badly... it's a man in a moment of crisis. Some people, experiencing these situations, can get help- voluntarily, or forced upon them- survive their crisis without passing any points of no return, and go on to live otherwise quality, productive lives. Others are not so lucky... no intervention available, either because of bad timing or lack of resources.. and these are the guys on the 6 o'clock news. Lives are destroyed, and another vet ends a standoff by eating a bullet.

I hope Benjamin was able to come to terms with what he'd done, in his final moments. In a t-shirt and cotton blue jeans, with only one shoe, he didn't stand a chance, and had to have known it. I hope he was able to make peace with his Maker, and I hope God granted him grace, relief from his burdened soul.

Some vets give limbs, some give their lives.. others give their minds. His final actions are inexcusable, but please have respect for his sacrifice.

---

There are some guys on one of my climbing boards planning some kind of fundraiser for the Ranger's now motherless children... probably a sponsored Mt Rainier climb, where people can sponsor a climber and donate a set amount per 1000' climbed, or something to that effect. I'll update with more info, for anyone interested in donating/participating.

 

[Kevatc]

What i sent:
Hi Bill,
As a contributing member of the nps, I am offended by you politicizing the
tragedy that took place on Mt.Rainier yesterday. It was truly in poor
taste. Is murder legal in the
national parks? I believe there are laws against such acts and criminals
don't follow laws. To place any blame or guilt on the legislative bodies
that protect our second amendment rights is short sighted and out of reason.
The criminal is responsible for his actions . Period. I will not be
renewing my contributions to the nps this year and will encourage my
associates to do the same. A retraction of your comments are in order.

His response:
Your level of ignorance is showing through, and I'm offended that you are
using the threat of being "a contributing member of the nps" - since the
"nps" is a government agency, I'm sure you haven't "contributed" a dime to
it, except through your taxes - so it's OK with me if you decide to quit
contributing through your taxes. Period.

End of email.

For the record I contribute financially to the national parks foundation. Well until today. And yes I must be ignorant because I said nps not npf.

Not that you are wrong on any of your points but your timing was bad. Emotions are raw and when you just had one of your own killed it's tough (even when you are right) to respond with anything but emotion. Timing can be everything but hitting folks with facts right after is a no win situation.

 

[SonicBlue03]

I felt no pleasure at hearing they'd found him dead. Nothing is gained by his death, except more death.. another child with a dead parent.

This isn't a man behaving badly... it's a man in a moment of crisis. Some people, experiencing these situations, can get help- voluntarily, or forced upon them- survive their crisis without passing any points of no return, and go on to live otherwise quality, productive lives. Others are not so lucky... no intervention available, either because of bad timing or lack of resources.. and these are the guys on the 6 o'clock news. Lives are destroyed, and another vet ends a standoff by eating a bullet.

I hope Benjamin was able to come to terms with what he'd done, in his final moments. In a t-shirt and cotton blue jeans, with only one shoe, he didn't stand a chance, and had to have known it. I hope he was able to make peace with his Maker, and I hope God granted him grace, relief from his burdened soul.

Some vets give limbs, some give their lives.. others give their minds. His final actions are inexcusable, but please have respect for his sacrifice.

It won't be the last time, either. A decade of people exposed to combat and high stress situations through deployment and the U.S. hasn't done anything to bolster its mental health support of those returning home, or job placement after-the-fact especially with a national economy that's not generating near as many jobs as it can (or should.) Expect these things to continue (whether it be national-attention-grabbing murder or domestic abuse/murder-suicide) and an increase in homelessness.

We've not learned from our mistakes and troops are very likely going to face similar roadblocks and pitfalls that happened to Vietnam vets. Country let those folks down, and is letting the new crop down.

Edit: Gunner3456 is correct too about suicides. Expect those to increase as well.

 

[theficklefinger]

He went to a party...people get drunk, start waiving guns, he drops a few people...he runs, it looks bad...he heads for the hills, and blasts by some 'check for chains' deal...so a ranger decides to put a roadblock up ahead...ballsy move...do we know who drew first?....then he has it out with a SWAT team....and escapes...

Did he freeze to death, do himself in, die later of a gunshot from the gun battle? We don't know.

As far as his wife putting a restraining order, that's just hot air...done all the time, by women looking for a better custody outcome, maybe she got a new boyfriend, doesn't want the dad around..watch daytime TV to see all the screwed up women who can't figure out who the daddy is, then tell me your taking her word for it that this guy is a nut.

My guess is that he froze to death, you just can't believe how cold it is up there right now...and with helos flying around with heat sensors, you can't build a fire.

By the way there is a lesson in here about 'headin for the hills' once we get past the Monday Morning Quarterbacking in here.

 

[The B]

They said he suffered no violence, and that by appearances, expired from hypothermia.

 

[SonicBlue03]

He went to a party...people get drunk, start waiving guns, he drops a few people...he runs, it looks bad...he heads for the hills, and blasts by some 'check for chains' deal

He ran, although he was supposedly encouraged to turn himself in and tell his side of the story. He was not listening to reason which goes more to his own state-of-mind.

...so a ranger decides to put a roadblock up ahead...ballsy move...do we know who drew first?....then he has it out with a SWAT team....and escapes...

You're not really being serious on this one, are you? She was shot while trying to get out of her car. No indication whatsoever by anyone at this point that any lead was sent downrange toward him.

Did he freeze to death, do himself in, die later of a gunshot from the gun battle? We don't know.

According to the press reports we do know, and that he succumbed to the elements and was found ill-prepared for the conditions.

As far as his wife putting a restraining order, that's just hot air...done all the time, by women looking for a better custody outcome, maybe she got a new boyfriend, doesn't want the dad around..watch daytime TV to see all the screwed up women who can't figure out who the daddy is, then tell me your taking her word for it that this guy is a nut.

So you think PTSD = insane? That's an interesting position. Because I didn't take it as his wife calling him a nut. I took it as her saying he needed help:

"In an affidavit, the woman wrote that Barnes was suicidal and possibly suffered from PTSD after deploying to Iraq in 2007-2008. She said he gets easily irritated, angry and depressed and keeps an arsenal of weapons in his home."

My guess is that he froze to death, you just can't believe how cold it is up there right now...and with helos flying around with heat sensors, you can't build a fire.

Astute guess, since that's what the media has been saying for a few hours now.

By the way there is a lesson in here about 'headin for the hills' once we get past the Monday Morning Quarterbacking in here.

There's a larger lesson about getting help to those who need it before symptoms become critical actions.

 

[SonicBlue03]

he looks like a soldier...a man who seen friends die....looks like he was probably a nice kid at one time.
the way the liberals treated vietnam soldiers when they came home,and the way liberals treat our irag-afghan soldiers this time around you better prepare to see more of this kind of thing....it's easy to judge a guy but till you march a mile in his shoes at120 degrees in the sand dodging ied's you will never know why he snapped.

Really? You wanna make that a political item? Fail. This is a government, military, and society issue that is bipartisan to its roots. This has nothing to do with Dems or Repubs - this is about the systems we have in place being inadequate to provide proper mental healthcare for returning troops. My friend's wife has worked in the treatment field for years and is currently serving on posts overseas to treat many of the soldiers that have recently faced combat, and she's the first one to say that there aren't enough people tasked with helping, and the organizational structure that these troops operate under does not give them the ability to seek the sustained help they need until they're already adversely affected - and even then they still don't get the time they need.

It's kind of like being the only doctor in the hospital full of sick and dying; unless you get more docs, a lot more casualties are going to be had that could've been prevented.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Shocking - mean spirited/threatening response from an anti-gunner elitist. I hope he enjoys the responses from thoughtful law abiding gun owners. He probably won't read them all though. Rational argument/debate is something folks of that mentality don't do well.

They are legion and unfortunately we will have to, face them, soon

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Really? You wanna make that a political item? Fail. This is a government, military, and society issue that is bipartisan to its roots. This has nothing to do with Dems or Repubs - this is about the systems we have in place being inadequate to provide proper mental healthcare for returning troops. My friend's wife has worked in the treatment field for years and is currently serving on posts overseas to treat many of the soldiers that have recently faced combat, and she's the first one to say that there aren't enough people tasked with helping, and the organizational structure that these troops operate under does not give them the ability to seek the sustained help they need until they're already adversely affected - and even then they still don't get the time they need.

It's kind of like being the only doctor in the hospital full of sick and dying; unless you get more docs, a lot more casualties are going to be had that could've been prevented.

There is no "service' you can offer a possessed man, I have as cousin who is such and he was hopeless from day one after Gulf War 1