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Posted on 01/27/2016 7:23:04 AM PST by The All Knowing All Seeing Oz
BURNS – Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, the spokesman of the refuge occupation, was shot and killed after he charged police during a roadside stop north of Burns on Tuesday, according to a man on Facebook who claims to be the driver of one of two vehicles involved in the highway shooting.
Mark McConnell posted a video to Facebook Wednesday morning, recounting the Tuesday afternoon scene that led to Finicum's death and the subsequent arrest of eight people involved in the Jan. 2 takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
His account emerged as police established new checkpoints on roads leading to the refuge, where an unknown number of occupiers remained. Police said only local property owners would be allowed through. The number and exact location of the checkpoints couldn't immediately be established.
Seven of those arrested Tuesday were taken overnight to Portland, where they were booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.
They included Ammon E. Bundy, 40, of Emmett, Idaho; his brother, Ryan C. Bundy of Bunkerville, Nevada; Ryan W. Payne, 32, of Anaconda, Montana; Brian Cavalier, 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada; Shawna J. Cox, 59, of Kanab, Utah; Joseph D. Oshaughnessy, 43, of Cottonwood, Arizona; and Peter T. Santilli, 50, of Cinncinati.
An eighth person, Jon Ritzheimer, surrendered to police in Arizona.
They were each charged with conspiracy to interfere with a federal official, a felony.
In his video, McConnell said Ammon Bundy and Cavalier were in the vehicle he was driving to John Day for a community meeting. He said Finicum was driving a pickup that carried Ryan Bundy, Payne, Cox and an 18-year-old girl.
He said as they traveled on U.S. 395 police vehicles pulled in behind them and stopped them. McConnell said he was removed by police first, then Ammon Bundy then Cavalier.
He said Finicum's pickup was stopped about 200 yards away, and one passenger already was on the ground in handcuffs.
McConnell said Payne and Cox later recounted how Payne and Finicum got into a "heated discussion" about what to do.
"LaVoy was passionate about this, about the movement," McConnell said.
McConnell said he noticed movement, and Finicum "took off" in the pickup with the remaining passengers. He said Payne and Cox described encountering a police roadblock about a mile north on the highway and apparently tried to get around it, becoming stuck in the snow.
"When he exited the vehicle, the rear wheels were still spinning," McConnell said. "He charged at law enforcement" and was shot.
McConnell disputed earlier accounts on social media that Finicum was shot while on his knees with his hands up.
McConnell said he and the 18-year-old were taken to Burns for questioning and later released.
His account couldn't be immediately confirmed, but several details matched accounts from law enforcement sources.
Meantime, the status of those at the refuge was unclear early Wednesday as the FBI and Oregon State Police set up the checkpoints. Late Tuesday, they established roadblocks near the refuge headquarters, parking a large front-end loader across Sod House Lane.
The FBI was negotiating into the night for the remaining occupiers to leave. Several were allowed to leave without arrest.
"The containment procedure involves a series of checkpoints established along key routes into and out of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge," the agencies said in a joint news release.
A news conference was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Burns. U.S. Attorney Billy Williams, FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Bretzing and Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward were to address reporters.
Finally, some real news, not rumors.
The news source is a known government boot licker. The so-called eye witness is suspect, he was not arrested or something...
Others are saying the guy was trying to negotiate a surrender. I do not know but do know the news source lacks credibility and has shown far left bias many times before.
Finicum’s fini.
Sounds like suicide by cop.
I hadn't heard of this charge. It sounds like one that could be used if you don't answer those IRS questions fast enough to suit them. On the other hand, I suppose Hillary is safe enough even though it would seem to be applicable.
This ‘witness’ was, according to this account, at least a mile away from the shooting...he is a third party re-telling Cox’s story.
He doesn’t know anything.
And why wasn’t he arrested?
Excuse me, but the writer was one of the “armed protesters” and was driving the car with others in it.
It’s time to accept reality, not just try to perpetuate rumors.
yes an “Armed protestor” who was not arrested with the others and is out speaking...
Okay, he “charged” the Feds. Was he armed when he did so?
"Real News" is defined as anything that absolves the Feds, right?
No dashcams? A sensitive situation, and no governement recording? Hmmmm?
At this stage, the report is ALSO a rumor.
Especially since you can be assured some Feds were embedded.
I'd wait until multiple sources confirmed this one man's account.
To be fair, we need to wait for a bit. The truth will out.
Why Multnomah?
If you would like more information about what's happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me.
I lost my Oregon list when my computer crashed last year, so please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.
I agree. But, with all of the fuss we've heard about law enforcement not recording to the max in criminal encounters, I'd hope they were a bit careful here. This was a high-profile situation, although the protesters were white and the situation wasn't an LEO quick-response to a crime in progress.
There are actually two witnesses.
You charge the police, you get shot. *shrug*
I feel the Sipsey Street Irregulars warning was likely heeded.
Anyways, the only way I would believe the Feds went Gestapo is if there are NO dashcams or recordings of the event, including from those apprehended.
THEN I would know this was a Feral Fascist Government move.
But still many questions. The eye witness by his own account must have been more than 200 yards away. Getting out of a car that is stuck in the snow and charging the cops? How fast could a charge be moving through snow deep enough get a truck stuck. How many cops were at the roadblock? Was the dead guy armed or pointing a weapon. Was shooting him really justified? Seems like you are ready to close the book on these law breaking anarchists based on the first account aligns with your predisposition to support the feds.
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