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Ammon Bundy, the leader of an anti-government militia, speaks to members of the media in front of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters on January 6, 2016 near Burns, Oregon. An armed anti-government militia group continues to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Headquarters as they protest the jailing of two ranchers for arson.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Oregon authorities claim that it was Robert “LaVoy” Finicum reaching for his waistband, which held his gun that prompted officers to open fire on the group of Armed Oregon wildlife occupiers, CNN reports.
Authorities caught up with the leaders of the group on U.S. 395, some distance away from the wildlife refuge that they took over earlier this month. Officers conducted a traffic stop. One vehicle carrying members of the group stopped, but the second, allegedly driven by Finicum, took off at high speed in an attempt to flee.
Finicum attmpted to veer off the main road and drove into a snowbank. When he exited teh vehicle, FBI and state police ordered him to surrender. However, according to authorities, Finicum instead reached for his waistband, which held a gun. The SWAT team opened fire, killing Finicum. Ryan Bundy, brother of leader Ammon Bundy, was hit in the arm.
Law Enforcement say that the shooting was caught on camera by the SWAT team, and the FBI and Oregon police officials are contemplating posisbly releasing the footage, partially to combat claims that Finicum was killed while trying to surrender.
Meanwhile, the remaining five occupiers at the refuge have said they would leave if they receive assurances that they will not be arrested, the Associated Press reports.
The AP reports that on the YouTube channel “DefendYourBase,” where the group has been issuing updates, a speaker claimed that the armed group had been told by authorities that “out of five people left here, four of us are allowed to leave.”
The FBI has not commented on on the claims, but said that it was trying to “empty hte refuge of the armed occupiers in the safest way possible.”
The speaker on the video insists that FBI has said that one of the remaining occupants at the refuge faces a felony count of conspiracy to impede federal officers from carrying out their duties through force, indimidation or threats. It’s the same charge that the 11 people who have been arrested are currently facing. However the spokesman says that he doens’t think the person at camp should face charges becuase he had limited involvement in the standoff.
Until authorities agreee not to charge anyone else, “we are willing to stay,” the spokesman said.
Ammon Bundy has issued a statement urging his followers to stop their protest.
“Please stand down. Go home and hug your families. This fight is now in the courts,” he said.
Read more at CNN and the Associated Press.
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