Body cam footage released of fatal Yellowstone NP July 4 shooting

On the morning of July 4, Yellowstone National Park law enforcement rangers confronted an individual shooting a semi-automatic rifle toward a dining facility at Canyon Village located in the central part of the park Photo: NPS

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY — The National Park Service has released body cam footage of the fatal shooting involving Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner, 28, on July 4. Fussner, an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, was killed after an exchange of gunfire with rangers near Canyon Village in Yellowstone National Park.

The incident began after a report that Fussner held a woman at gunpoint and threatened to carry out a mass shooting. He was later found firing a semi-automatic rifle at a dining facility housing 200 people. Law enforcement rangers confronted Fussner, resulting in a shootout that left him dead and one ranger injured. Warning: The video of an officer involved shooting contains graphic content and strong language. Viewer discretion is advised.

The footage, released per National Park Service policy, provides transparency during the ongoing FBI-led investigation. Superintendent Cam Sholly praised the rangers’ actions, saying, “Thanks to the heroic actions of our law enforcement rangers, many lives were saved here.”

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