YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — A man is alleged to have threatened a mass shooting in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) just a day after another man was killed in a gunfire exchange with rangers in the park.
According to court filings, Robert Sherman was in the employee dining room at Roosevelt Lodge on Friday, July 5, when he allegedly said, “Maybe we should have a mass shooting down here as well.” The statement came about 24 hours after a man was fatally shot by law enforcement after approaching the dining area at the park’s Canyon Lodge while shooting a semi-automatic rifle. That man, Samson Fussman, had also threatened a mass shooting, according to witnesses.
Sherman’s threats were brought to the attention of law enforcement three days after they were made, on Monday, July 8. U.S. Park Ranger Lily Flowers, whose sworn statement appears in the court documents, said that she was notified that morning shortly after 9:30 a.m. that Sherman had discussed a mass shooting. Flowers was also informed that he had allegedly discussed killing two people.
Later that morning, Flowers and two other rangers, along with other officials, responded to the Roosevelt Lodge, where Sherman worked, having been told to come armed, according to the statement. The lodge had been evacuated when they arrived at 11:08 a.m. They proceeded to arrest Sherman who, Flowers said, later admitted to his threatening comments, allegedly saying, ‘If any thing I lost my cool.”
Both Sherman and the now-deceased Fourth of July shooter, Samson Fussman, were employees of Xanterra, the company that operates lodging and concessions in YNP.
Sherman is facing a charge of disorderly conduct that was filed with the U.S. District Court District of Wyoming in Mammoth, WY, on Tuesday, July 9. If convicted, he faces up to six months in prison, not more than $5,000 in fines and not more than five years of probation.
Sherman appeared before the Court for his arraignment Wednesday, July 10 and pleaded not guilty. He is being held without bail and his next appearance date has yet to be set.
No further information about Sherman’s age or where he is from was available at press time.
