I just read the story about a tragic shooting over the weekend of Mt. Rainier National Park Ranger, Margaret Anderson. It’s a sad story of two lives converging in a moment of confusion and desperation.
The shooter, 24 year old Benjamin Barnes, was a young man who had fought in Iraq from 2007 to 2008. His girlfriend told authorities that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, was suicidal and that she had filed for a restraining order because she feared for the safety of their young daughter.
According to the news report, Barnes had been at a New Years Eve party when a fight erupted. Shots had been fired and 4 people were injured, 2 of them critically, and somehow Barnes was involved. Subsequently, he gathered some belongings and headed to the mountains, perhaps to cool down and clear his mind.
After Barnes blew past a check point to ensure all cars had necessary tire chains before entering the snow-packed mountain roads, Park Ranger Anderson was instructed to set up a road block to stop him. She was unaware that the young man speeding toward her was not in a reasonable state of mind. The rangers had no idea he had just been involved in a violent act that may have revived some demons from his time in Iraq. Before she could get out of her car, Anderson was fatally wounded when Barnes shot at her and the ranger who had followed him from the previous check point.
It was unclear when Barnes decided, or was forced, to set out on foot, but his body was found yesterday, partially submerged face down, in a mountain creek. He was wearing only a T-shirt, jeans and one tennis shoe.
The tragedy here is the number of lives that will be affected by this incident. The woman who left behind a husband and two young daughters. The young man who also leaves an innocent child and was once considered a hero but saw himself in a much different light. The loved ones of these two people who both knew what it was like to sacrifice their lives for others. All will be forever changed.
It’s easier for society to think of Barnes as a trouble-maker and to forget that he struggled with the psychological effect of a war that took away the better part of his soul. It is also difficult for society to refrain from using this situation as an opportunity to push an agenda that is completely unrelated to the circumstances at hand.
I was disappointed to read that prior to the discovery of Benjamin Barnes’ body, there was an outcry to repeal a federal law allowing national parks visitors to carry loaded weapons. Having been an avid camper in my not-too-distant past, I understand the reasoning behind such gun laws.
It takes a very narrow mind to be convinced that this tragedy could have been avoided by stricter laws on guns. I have no doubt that Barnes could have cared less that he was violating any ban on loaded weapons in national parks, had there been any in place, as he veered toward that check-point. And to insinuate anything different would be an insincere attempt to manipulate a situation that has greater questions to be answered.
As we hear of situations such as this, tragic events brought about by lingering emotions that affect many if not all of our returning veterans, we should keep in mind that they signed on to make the ultimate sacrifice. And we should respect them for that sacrifice, not see them as an opportunity to promote an agenda that will be of no benefit to anyone, especially those deserving so much more than reproving insinuations. Perhaps, what we should be promoting is an environment of understanding. Perhaps the only way to avoid another terrible event such as this is not by inventing more laws, but by focusing more attention on programs to help our returning service members who are having a difficult time remembering that their nightmares are no longer trying to destroy them.
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