Park ranger shot in Moab, Poison Sp. trailhead

[Pathrat]

Young, a park ranger for more than five years, was critically injured in a shootout about 8:40 p.m. Friday, shortly after he pulled over Arellano’s silver Pontiac Grand Am in the parking lot of the Poison Spider Trailhead, just south of Moab. Young was shot in the leg, arm and torso, but was able to report via radio that he had been shot.
"We don’t really know what caused the shooting," Nyland said. Young was doing a routine traffic stop and for unknown reasons, a gunfight erupted, he said.



What the hell?


Here is the article from the Salt Lake Tribune:


http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50721631-76/area-moab-police-sunday.html.csp

[Haku]

Geez....I'm glad the officer is ok. I hate hearing about this kind of stuff, especially in areas you wouldn't expect to hear about it. I hope his recovery is swift and that they catch the sleazebag that shot him.

[Roostercruiser]

Glad hes ok, must of hag drugs or sometbing in car.

[Brody]

Drugs, guns or someone had a serious warrant out for them... I don't like seeing this kind of stuff either...You have to figure in the fact that Rangers have all the powers of a US Marshall, National Park Rangers at least, but any Ranger can arrest someone.

[RockyMtnHigh]

I just got done responding to a thread over on the FJ Forum on this topic, some dumb*** spewing theories of a "bad cop" scenario while the ranger is clinging to his life in the hospital, pissed me off pretty good. I almost hope they don't find this guy straight off, what I hope happens is they find his bloody corpse frozen to a rock, he's not deserving of medical treatment or anything else, but a slow painful death in my opinion.

[ROKTAXI]

I haven't heard anything other than whats been posted in the news. However, my wife did get some info regarding the officer. It was reported (from a reliable source) that he was shot in the back which indicates he may have been walking away from the shooter. Maybe more info will come out later. My wife works with the Mayor and may find out more info as it develops.

[Pathrat]

Thanks Marty. I have not heard anything from my aunt and uncle down there about it, yet.

Jock: I did the same thing on the Moron Forum (yahoo news comments) after reading similarly repugnant posts. I don't think he should be found as you describe because that means that you have a bunch of law enforcement guys wasting their time searching. I think the perp tried to swim the Colorado. Either way, if he is still in the area (as indicated by the location of his car) my money says he is dead.

[4finger]

this was told to me by a firend as a piece of gossip- s only let it go as far as you want to.
all i really have is that officer Young was moved from the "really bad health" ward to the "doing better- but still touch and go" ward a couple of days ago.
sounds like he should recover but its gonna be a very long and hard few months/years ahead of him.
also from what ive read from my source is that theres no updates yet because he is not in a good enough condition to talk to the cops yet about the event.