Ranger dies, shooter still on the loose in Mt. Rainier Nat. Park.

[Bob Bankhead]

Yes, it appears the manhunt is over. Unfortunately, a dead suspect, at least one who didn't die in a gun battle with the authorities, proves nothing, so for now at least, accent on "alleged".

We'll have to wait to see if evidence at the scene implicates him in the killing. Hopefully, he had the murder weapon with him when his body was found, that records or testimony will show it was indeed one of his many guns, and that ballistics can match it to the slugs that killed the ranger.

The apparent cause of his death was not mentioned. A survivalist is unlikely to have perished so rapidly due to Nature alone. No mention was made of any self-inflicted gunshot wounds, but it would sure make pretty convincing circumstantial evidence if both he and the ranger were killed with the same rifle.

No matter the outcome, what a tragic waste of young lives!

[Donna C]

It's sad for everyone. What bothers me the most is that here this young man went to the war to fight for our rights, what he may have truly believed and returns with PTSD and can't cope. Sadly, he does what he was taught best to do by our government because of his PTSD, mostly our of fear for his life and then people treat him with little regard. While we may not like what he did; we can't ignore the fact that possibly this country is responsible for his actions and those who also suffer with PTSD. Did he need to die? No. Did anyone that he killed? No. But the facts are staring us in the face. It seems to many in this country that it's easier to sweep the problem under the carpet and say that he and others like him need to die is such a selfish and lazy solution.

[David Olsen]

Seattle Radio KUOW the first stop was for tire chains, or lack of them.

[Matthew Perry]

This would make a hell of a movie plot…oh,wait…it WAS a movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjptQSfuTy8

I'll bet all he wanted was "…somethin' 'ta eat on his wa 'ta Portland". That ranger probably drew first blood, too.

Seriously, i bet he was a BIG fan of this movie. What a waste of life. Not every soldier that has PTSD goes nuts, though. At some point you have to stop blaming society and take responsibility for ones own actions.

[Steve Cain]

Looks like the mountain got him.

“He was wearing a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and one tennis shoe”

http://www.king5.com/news/crime/Massive-search-underway-for-rangers-killer-136532718.html

[Anonymous]

"Looks like the mountain got him."

Better that way, in that it saves one more person from having to experience the devastating experience of taking a human life.

Not trying to start another flame war, but this guy was aparently an Iraq War vet. In my accounting system, this tragedy goes down as another entry to my ledger of the true cost of the war. Sadly, it will play out over several generations, and is, IMO, one of the most convincing arguments for not getting into wars in the first place. I will say no more on the subject.

[John S.]

Good point Tom. War is horrible in what it does to both sides for years after it is over.

[Jeffs Eleven]

My news said of the killer- "friends described him as a survivalist"

…except for yesterday.

Survivalist rule #1: You must remain alive.

[John S.]

First hand account of backpackers snow camping there.

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7995972

[Mike M]

my prayers go out to the ranger and her family- what a terrible waste

I (like many of hundred of thousand others) have served in the armed forces, unfortunately like any big outfit there are shi+bags that make it in and this is clearly one of them. He was discharged early (read kicked out!) from the Army for a DUI and improper transporting private weapons (imagine that). Had he not gotten into the Army, my money says he would still have been a loser.

I wish these cowardly/anti-government/"survivalists" /loser/conspiracists were a rarity, but unfortunately they are not. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't get BOLO on some nut job on the loose whose goal in life to destroy someone else's life in the name of some paranoid fantasy they are living out.

Unfortunately these nut jobs often like to "recreate" in the same areas that we do :(

http://media.nj.com/star-ledger/photo/2012/01/10404892-large.jpg

[John S.]

Would you think most domestic terrorist groups are chock full of former military?

[drowning in spam]

"Better that way, in that it saves one more person from having to experience the devastating experience of taking a human life."

Agreed. And for those that wanted this guy to suffer a horrible death, they got what they wanted.

[Mike M]

"Would you think most domestic terrorist groups are chock full of former military?"

No they are not, but like I said the military, like any big institution/business, is not perfect in their screening out potential wackos- so if they (wacko) happen to be looking for a place to "fit in", unfortunately there are many such groups to join :(

hypothermia is not the "painful" death that I would choose for this individual, sitting on death row for a decade or two would be much more painful IMO

[Steven Adeff]

the fringe ruin the many.

I saw this just now though, that I thought was pretty cool, the photo at the end is worth noting as well

[Author]

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