Suspect Dead, Ranger Hurt in Yellowstone Shooting

Authorities say there was an exchange of gunfire Thursday morning
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 5, 2024 4:54 AM CDT
Suspect Dead, Ranger Hurt in Yellowstone Shooting
"There was a significant law enforcement incident at Canyon Village in the central part of Yellowstone National Park," park authorities said in a statement.   (Getty Images/Anna Pietrzykowska)

An armed person who was making unspecified threats at Yellowstone National Park died and a park ranger was hospitalized following an exchange of gunfire Thursday, authorities said. The shooting happened at Canyon Village, an area in the central part of the park that has a campground, lodging, and visitor center, after rangers responded to a report of a person making threats, park officials said in a statement.

The statement did not say exactly where the shots were fired and whether visitors were impacted by what it called "a significant law enforcement incident" that began overnight, the AP reports. The ranger was in stable condition at a hospital, according to the statement, which did not specify how the ranger was injured. The name of the person who died was not released. The FBI is helping the National Park Service investigate the shooting.

Todd Heskett, who was staying at Canyon Village with his wife and two of their children, said he heard gunfire around 8am Thursday morning from the Canyon Lodge eatery, NBC News reports. He said he called the front desk and 911 and was told to stay in his room because there was an active shooter. Heskett said an alert on his phone an hour later told him it was safe to leave. (More Yellowstone National Park stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X