Flagstaff Tactical Operations Team Called in to Assist Rangers in Grand Canyon National Park

Flagstaff Tactical Operations Team Called in to Assist Rangers in Grand Canyon National Park
Date: May 12, 2010
Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7958

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – At approximately 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11, National Park Service investigators attempted to contact a male subject after they became aware that he had an outstanding warrant. The man was visiting a local resident and was staying in a house in a park residential area.

Because the subject was believed to be in possession of a weapon, park personnel decided to take every precaution to protect the safety of their team and local residents; and after several unsuccessful attempts to engage the subject, park rangers established a perimeter around the house while investigators continued to try to communicate with him. Additionally, the Flagstaff Tactical Operations Team was called in at approximately 1:40 p.m. to provide support, assistance and a tactical response if need be. At the same time, all nearby residences were evacuated and the roads into the area were closed off.

Once the tactical team arrived, a joint command was established; and the team’s negotiator joined in the efforts to elicit a response from the male subject; but he remained silent and closed inside the residence.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., having exhausted all other options, the tactical team entered the home and found the subject deceased from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The body has been transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The National Park Service would like to thank the Flagstaff Tactical Operations Team, a highly trained tactical response team made up of members of the Flagstaff Police Department and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, for their quick response and assistance in resolving this incident. In addition, Superintendent Steve Martin would like to thank community members for their cooperation with evacuation and temporary closure of the immediate area of the incident.

Man Who Died of Self-inflicted Gunshot is identified
Date: May 13, 2010
Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7958

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – A man found deceased after park rangers and tactical team negotiators spent several hours trying to talk him out of a residence in Grand Canyon National Park has been identified as 51 year old Mark Twain Ferguson of Arizona.

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11, National Park Service investigators attempted to contact Ferguson regarding an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court. Ferguson, who was visiting a local resident and staying in a house in a park residential area, repeatedly refused to engage park investigators when they attempted to talk to him.

Because he was believed to be in possession of a weapon, park personnel took every precaution to protect the safety of their team and local residents, calling in the Flagstaff Tactical Operations Team, evacuating all nearby residences and closing off nearby roads.

Once the tactical team arrived, their negotiator joined in the efforts to elicit a response from Ferguson; but he remained silent and closed inside the residence.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., after exhausting all other options, the tactical team entered the home and found Ferguson deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.