Some of the reporting on this incident was lacking in details. Maybe they will be explained later.

It is possible that the veteran involved was not simply suffering from PTSD, but that he actually had TBI (traumatic brain injury). That is a serious condition, and it causes a lot of problems. Since some of our veterans have been exposed to blast injuries, this is something that we are going to have to deal with better in the future. If indeed the veteran was suffering from TBI, it might help to understand why he was seeking refuge away from other people, and why he was not thinking rationally at the time.

Apparently the Park Ranger had set up a roadblock - for the express purpose of protecting people. She just wanted to make sure that park visitors had tire chains. That's all.

unfortunately ... what happened was the worst combination of curcumstances. A veteran who was stressed and not thinking clearly encountered a roadblock set up by someone who represented "authority". The result was tragic.

This is one possible interpretation of what happened ... it may or may not be correct. But the end result was very sad.

My prayers for the NPS ranger's family and co-workers.

Pete2