Chiricahua National Monument Ranger Assault

[BEEBEE]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/08 ... -corridor/

Hope she gets better soon.

[cactuscat]

Federal agents from our area are assisting with the investigation ...

[AZLumberjack]

WOW! A 60 year old Park Ranger must have been a real threat to their smuggling operation. Best wishes for her complete recovery.

[outdoor_lover]

Just as sad is that this is "a known drug smuggling corridor"....Apparently the Government Law Enforcement Divisions aren't willing to take the time or use Resources to alleviate that problem...Everyone is desensitized and just doesn't give a crap anymore and are willing to just let it be a "given".... :tt: It will probably take a foreign tourist being killed to embarrass the Government enough to crack down....An American LIfe isn't worth anything....

[CannondaleKid]

Our leaders think it's more cost effective to send our troops around the world to protect the borders of other countries than keep them here and protect our own.

[SkyIslandHiker]

Glad to see some justice here. The culprit was just sentenced to a well-deserved 76 years in prison:
http://www.kvoa.com/st...

[cactuscat]

Amen! Some of my friends know and have worked with Karen Gonzales in the past - everyone was very glad to hear about this conviction and sentence. More stellar work by Investigative Services and the other agencies! http://www.nps.gov/orgs/1563/chir-assau ... encing.htm

[flagscott]

I don't want to minimize this attack or any other. But some of the inflammatory comments above are somewhat divorced from reality. Crime rates (violent and otherwise) along the US-Mexican border are no higher than anywhere else in the country. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... by-county/

In 2014, El Paso was the safest city of its size in the US: https://www.newamerica.org/weekly/112/c ... he-border/

I realize that there are some unsafe places on the border, and smuggling certainly happens, but the problem is not as bad as some news outlets make it out to be.

[FOTG]

[cactuscat]

@flagscott
I agree for the most part.

I have done a bit of border area hiking now, almost always solo - and yes I carry, but I have never felt anymore unsafe than in other parts of the state. Which is to say not at all unsafe.

Pretty regularly I will be speaking with a visitor/camper at my park and they ask about border safety and express concerns from what they have heard back home in Minnesota or Ohio or wherever ... I tell them my experiences and that in my opinion the danger is way overstated.