NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Monday, June 22, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-309 - Great Smoky Mountains (NC/TN) - Ranger Shot and Killed

Ranger Joe Kolodski, 36, was shot and killed by an assailant on the afternoon
of Sunday, June 21st.  Around 2:20 p.m., the park received a report of a man
with a rifle along the Blue Ridge Parkway at Big Witch overlook about nine
miles north of Oconaluftee.  Since rangers from both parks provide
enforcement on the southern end of the parkway, Kolodski responded along with
Great Smoky ranger Al Miller and Blue Ridge ranger Tony Welch - each in his
own vehicle.  Kolodski was first on scene at 2:40 p.m. and radioed to Miller
that he had spotted the man.  Plans were begun by radio to cordon off the
overlook.  When Welch arrived on scene at 2:50 p.m., he reported an "officer
down" and requested an ambulance.  As he was calling this in, the gunman
fired at his cruiser.  The round smashed the cruiser windshield but did not
hit Welch.  Welch returned fire with his shotgun.  The gunman then fled into
the woods with the rifle.  Approximately 70 units converged on the scene,
including rangers, Forest Service and North Carolina Highway Patrol officers,
and deputies from five North Carolina counties.  Rescuers found that Kolodski
had been shot in the chest above his ballistic vest.  A medevac helicopter
was summoned, but Kolodski could not be revived.  He was pronounced dead at
the University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville.  A suspect was taken into
custody around 6:30 p.m., but it's not been confirmed that he's the man being
sought, so his name has not been released.  He is NOT Eric Rudolf, the man
who's being sought throughout the Southeast in connection with several
bombings.  Kolodksi, a resident of Bryson City, North Carolina, had worked in
the Smokies for over five years, and had been a ranger at the Natchez Trace
Parkway prior to that.  He leaves his wife, F.T., also a park
employee, and three young children.  Parks are authorized to lower flags to
half staff until the date of the funeral.  That information will be provided
as soon as it is available.  Commissioned rangers are also authorized to wear
black bands on their badges, as per the provisions of NPS-43, 11-2-d; other
employees may wear them, as appropriate.  Questions should be directed to
Dennis Burnett in WASO Ranger Activities.  [Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, via Dennis
Burnett, RAD/WASO, 6/21; Bob Miller and Nancy Gray, PIOs, GRSM, 6/21; Dennis
Burnett, Bob Marriott, RAD/WASO, 6/22]

                      [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

The fire report will be resumed tomorrow.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

No entries.

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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