The Buckingham

Photo Credit: www.republicmagazine.com

Authorities confirmed on Jan. 2 that the body discovered in Mount Rainier National Park was that of the Iraq War veteran who is suspected in killing a park ranger.

Benjamin Colton Barnes is believed to have gone to the park in Washington to hide after an earlier shooting at a New Year’s party in Seattle.  Four were wounded, with two in critical condition at the part.  Authorities believe that Barnes has shot park ranger Margaret Anderson on Jan. 1.

Police cleared out the park of visitors to start a manhunt for Barnes, who they believed had weapons and survivalist training.  His body was found face down, according to Washington State Patrol.

Barnes had had a troubled transition into civilian life, and supposedly suffered from post-traumatic stress and was suicidal.  He had been involved in a custody dispute in July, which led to his toddler daughter’s mother filing a temporary restraining against him.  The woman had told authorities that Barnes was easily irritated, angry and depressed, and kept weapons in his home.  She told police she feared for her child’s safety.

On New Year’s, an argument occurred at a house party in Seattle and Barnes was connected to the shooting.  Two of the three people who had fled the scene were found, and police had only wanted to talk to Barnes about his connection to the incident.

Barnes shot Anderson after she and another ranger followed him after he had sped past a checkpoint to make sure vehicles have tire chains.  He had shot both Anderson and the other ranger, but only Anderson was hit.  Anderson was a 34-year-old mother of two young children, who’s husband also is a park ranger.

The shooting has renewed a debate on a federal law that was passed in 2010 that made it legal for people to take loaded weapons into Mount Rainier.