Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the company that owns and operates lodging in Yellowstone National Park, released a statement on Tuesday regarding the shootout that took place on July 4 involving one of its employees at Canyon Lodge in the park.
Xanterra offered its “heartfelt condolences” to those affected by the incident, which tragically resulted in the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner, a Xanterra employee from Florida. The company also mentioned that it is providing counseling and support services to its Yellowstone employees.
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Xanterra emphasized its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its employees, guests, and the community while working to restore all facilities at Canyon Lodge back to normal operations. A limited number of rooms and most visitor services reopened at Canyon Lodge on Tuesday, July 9, with full lodging expected to resume on Wednesday, July 10.
You can read the full statement from Xanterra below:
We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at Yellowstone National Park on July 4 involving a Xanterra employee. We extend our heartfelt condolences to those who were impacted by this incident.
We continue to cooperate fully with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Park Service (NPS) as they investigate this incident. The safety and well-being of our employees, guests, and the wider community are our top priorities, and we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for everyone.
We want to again thank the NPS law enforcement rangers for their incredible actions in resolving the situation. In conjunction with the NPS support resources, Xanterra is providing counseling and support services to its Yellowstone employees.
We are working diligently to bring all our facilities back to regular operations in the Canyon Lodge area. We thank our Xanterra employees who are working through these difficult issues and are serving our guests and our company in such a dedicated manner. Similarly, we thank all our guests for their kindness, patience, and understanding regarding their interactions with our employees as we continue to work through these events, and their travel disruptions.
A limited quantity of select rooms and most visitor services opened at Canyon Lodge today, July 9. All remaining lodging (including the Western cabins, and the two of seven guest lodges) will reopen tomorrow, July 10. Food service at the Eatery will begin with dinner at 5:00pm today, July 9. Food service will return to normal hours beginning July 10 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The M66 Lounge will open tonight, July 9. Regularly scheduled tours will resume from Canyon Lodge today, July 9.
