Firing a semi-automatic rifle while walking toward Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park, the Florida man reportedly was determined to conduct a mass shooting on July 4 when law enforcement rangers killed him in a shootout that left one ranger wounded.

That was the scenario released Tuesday evening by the National Park Service, which credited the rangers for saving untold lives.

"Thanks to the heroic actions of our law enforcement rangers, many lives were saved here last Thursday," said Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly.  "These rangers immediately confronted this shooter and took decisive action to ensure he was no longer a threat to public safety.”

The dead man was identified by the Park Service as Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner, 28, of Milton, Florida. He was an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, Yellowstone’s primary concessionaire for lodging and dining.

According to a park release, an unidentified woman contacted Yellowstone’s 911 dispatch center shortly after midnight on July 4 and said she had been held against her will by a man with a gun in a residence at Canyon Village.

“She also reported to law enforcement rangers that Fussner threatened to kill her and others, including plans to allegedly carry out a mass shooting(s) at July 4th events outside the park,” the release added.

Law enforcement rangers who initially responded to Canyon Village, located in the center of the park, found his unoccupied vehicle in the Canyon area and began to deploy around the area to both look for Fussner and protect park visitors.

Before long more than 20 law enforcement rangers were on the scene, including the park’s special response team, in the search for Fussner.

“At approximately 8 a.m., law enforcement rangers posted near Canyon Lodge, which houses employee and public dining rooms, encountered Fussner,” the park release said. “Fussner reportedly walked toward the service entrance of the facility while firing a semi-automatic rifle. The building was occupied by approximately 200 people at the time. Several law enforcement rangers engaged Fussner. During an exchange of gunfire, Fussner was shot by law enforcement rangers.”

One unidentified ranger was shot “in a lower extremity” during the gun battle. While rangers with emergency medical training provided aid to both Fussner and the ranger, the Florida man expired on the scene, according to the park release. The ranger was taken to an area hospital in stable condition, and has since been released.

According to the release, Park Service “policy for a law enforcement-involved shooting calls for involved law enforcement rangers to be placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation of the incident. Consistent with Department of the Interior and NPS policies, the NPS will release available body worn camera footage of the incident within 30 days.”

Sholly said park staff was “working now to provide maximum support to those involved and their families. We appreciate the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and many other partners as we continue to manage through the aftermath of this incident."  

The incident prompted the temporarily closure of the Canyon Lodge and Canyon Campground. The campground reopened on Monday and a "limited quantity of select rooms" and most remaining visitor services opened at Canyon Lodge on Tuesday. All remaining lodging (including the Western cabins, and the remaining two of seven guest lodges) were scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, Xanterra said on its website.