Park Service Honors Slain Ranger

The National Park Service is holding a memorial service for Margaret Anderson, the first female park ranger killed in the line of duty, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Anderson was shot on Jan. 1 at Mount Rainier National Park, where both she and her husband have been assigned since 2010. Previously, Anderson served at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, while her husband was assigned to Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Md.

The suspect in the shooting was found dead.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and NPS Director Jon Jarvis attended the ceremony, and the national park system is flying flags at half-mast.

A Government Executive feature from 2003 detailed the dangers park rangers face.

"These losses are painful reminders of the risks faced by National Park Service employees every day," Jarvis said in a statement. "Please be careful out there and watch out for each other."