Chilling details have emerged over the alleged plot of a gunman at Yellowstone National Park before he was stopped by rangers.
Samson Fussner, 28, was gunned down on the Fourth of July in a shootout with park rangers as families gathered at the landmark to celebrate the holiday weekend.
Cops scrambled to the site shortly after midnight following reports of a woman being held against her will with a gun, before the gunman fled and rangers carried out an hours-long search through the park.
In the early morning, Fussner was confronted and shot dead by rangers as he began shooting a semi-automatic rifle towards a building with roughly 200 people inside.
The woman he held captive later said he detailed a plot to carry out horror mass shootings on Fourth of July holiday parties at the national park, reports KRTV.
Samson Fussner, 28, was gunned down on the Fourth of July in a shootout with Yellowstone Park Rangers after allegedly taking a woman captive before threatening to carry out mass shootings
Yellowstone Park Rangers carried out a search through the park before encountering Fussner at around 8am, where he was shot dead as he tried to open fire on a building full of people
Fussner, originally from Milton, Florida, was an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, a hospitality travel company that operates at a number of national parks across America, including Yellowstone.
When the initial 911 calls went out, it was reported that the suspect had fled into the park, and was believed to be armed and dangerous.
Rangers were tactically positioned in the park to protect vacationing families and employees while the search continued.
At around 8am, law enforcement stationed near Canyon Lodge, an area in the center of the park for employee housing and public dining, encountered Fussner outside as he began shooting.
Law enforcement carried out an hours-long search for Fussner through Yellowstone, and he was described as ‘armed and dangerous’
Fussner, originally from Milton, Florida, was an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, a hospitality travel company
Rangers reportedly encountered Fussner as they were strategically placed around the park to protect vacationers and employees
With hundreds of people inside, Fussner opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle. It is unclear if he was able to hit the building before he was brought down.
This led to a shootout outside the building, where Fussner was fatally shot and a ranger was hit in the leg.
Fussner received emergency aid from rangers after being shot, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, while the injured ranger was taken to hospital in stable condition. They have since been released.
Witnesses took to social media as the chaos began, saying they were told to hide in their hotel rooms during the active shooter situation.
Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said in a reported email to staff that ‘numerous’ other rangers were also involved in the shootout, but no others were harmed.
Fussner was declared dead at the scene, and the ranger he shot survived and was released from hospital
The investigation into the shooting is being led by the FBI, and the rangers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
In a statement after the shooting, Sholly praised the efforts of the rangers and said support would be offered to victims.
‘Thanks to the heroic actions of our law enforcement rangers, many lives were saved here last Thursday,’ Sholly said.
‘These rangers immediately confronted this shooter and took decisive action to ensure he was no longer a threat to public safety. We are working now to provide maximum support to those involved and their families.’
