Yellowstone Rampage: Guns Seized in Failed Attack

⏱ 3 min read

Yellowstone National Park almost became a bloodbath this past July 4th. Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner, 28, held a woman hostage in Canyon Village for two hours, ranting about a mass shooting he planned to carry out. The next morning, when National Park Service rangers moved in, Fussner opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, sparking a shootout before he was killed. The incident unfolded over nearly twelve hours, leaving one ranger seriously wounded.

The chaos began around 10:00 p.m. on July 3rd. Fussner, armed to the teeth, held the woman captive, spewing hateful threats. He vanished into the park around midnight, triggering a massive manhunt. At 8:05 a.m. the following day, Fussner ambushed the rangers, unleashing a barrage of gunfire. One ranger took a brutal hit to the foot, suffering severe injuries.

Fussner wasn’t messing around. He was carrying a semi-automatic rifle, a Glock pistol, and a shotgun, along with multiple magazines. He’d even stashed a second pistol and pre-positioned a 2021 Nissan Rogue as an escape vehicle. Federal prosecutors immediately moved to seize it all.

Despite attempts by Fussner’s father and brother to claim ownership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured a forfeiture order on March 9th. The weapons and the Nissan Rogue will now be sold, and the money will go directly to the injured ranger – a meager attempt at justice for a near-disaster that could have been far worse.