YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — One day after a worker in Yellowstone National Park was killed in a shootout with law enforcement another park worker allegedly threatened a mass shooting.
Robert Sherman was charged Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Wyoming with one count of disorderly conduct. He pleaded not guilty and is being held in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled on July 15.
According to court records, Sherman was arrested by park rangers on Monday after authorities received information that he had made a threat on July 5 while working at the Roosevelt Lodge, one day after a ranger was seriously injured and another park worker was killed during a shootout at Canyon Village.
The man who was killed, Samson Fussner, had reportedly made threats of committing a mass shooting on July 4 in the park.
Sherman allegedly told another worker during an argument that "the next mass shooting will happen at Roosevelt," according to court records.
Sherman and Fussner were both seasonal employees of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which owns and operates lodging in Yellowstone National Park.
Rangers converged on the Roosevelt Lodge on July 8 after receiving information about the alleged threat by Sherman, who was also reported to have made prior comments about "killing two people," court records state.
Sherman was arrested and later allegedly told investigators "if anything I lost my cool" when stating "maybe we should have a shooting down here as well," court records state.
The charge carries a punishment of up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
