According to a federal court filing obtained by USA TODAY on Wednesday, a Florida man, identified as 28-year-old Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner of Milton, planned a mass shooting at Yellowstone National Park over the summer and made racist remarks before carrying out the attack. The document, filed in U.S. District Court in Wyoming on Friday, detailed Fussner as the sole perpetrator of a hostage situation at the park’s Canyon Village on July 3 and 4, as well as an attempted mass shooting during a fireworks show just outside the park in West Yellowstone, Montana. The filing aims to enable the government to seize the firearms and assets involved in the crime, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney in the District of Wyoming. Fussner, who has since passed away, was named as the defendant in the complaint against assets like his vehicle and firearms found at the scene. The court documents revealed that Fussner held a woman he was fixated on captive for two hours at the Grizzly Dorm in Canyon Village on July 3, where he made derogatory comments about immigrants, African Americans, and Jews. The next day, Fussner was confronted by Yellowstone rangers while shooting a rifle at a dining facility, resulting in a shootout where he was killed and a ranger injured. Additional firearms, magazines, and ammunition were discovered in Fussner’s vehicle. Prosecutors stated that Fussner had planned acts of terrorism with the weapons he possessed. It was disclosed that Fussner, an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts in Yellowstone, had a history of expressing white supremacist and anti-Semitic views and was affiliated with the Vanguard News Network, a white supremacist website. Prosecutors highlighted that Fussner began planning the attack on July 1 and had expressed his intentions in online posts. Fussner had messaged his brother about carrying out a mass shooting during a fireworks show, mentioning easy targets, and made derogatory comments about various ethnic groups in his texts. Text messages also indicated his fixation on a woman he later held hostage at Yellowstone.
A man entered a woman’s room romantically interested in her. After leaving briefly, he returned approximately 20 minutes later, knocking on her door and forcefully entering her room when she responded. Prosecutors allege that he threatened her with a knife and a handgun.
While holding the victim hostage, the man, identified as Fussner, reportedly expressed his mental health issues, racist thoughts, and discussed plans for a mass shooting at the employee dining room in Canyon Lodge and the fireworks display at West Yellowstone, Montana, according to court documents.
When the victim’s roommate returned to the room, Fussner purportedly concealed the gun under his arm to prevent the roommate from seeing it. Once the roommate went to shower, Fussner allegedly warned the victim that if the police pursued him, he would return. Subsequently, he departed, enabling the woman to contact security and inform them about his actions and his intentions for a mass shooting.
The following day, Fussner was involved in a shootout with multiple park rangers, resulting in his death. This incident prompted the National Park Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local authorities to conduct an investigation. In adherence to agency protocol, the rangers implicated in the confrontation were put on administrative leave pending the investigation.
