I don’t see how he could have known there was a roadblock ahead until such time as it came into view. Was there time to stop? I don’t know.
He may have wanted to evade the roadblock but I do not think he intended to deliberately hit anyone. Was there time to stop? I don’t know. There was probably a “wtf” moment followed by indecision. Seconds count. Maybe after 1-2 seconds there was insufficient stopping distance. I don’t know. I suspect there probably was adequate distance but I don’t know.
Victoria Sharp and Ryan Payne where in the truck driven by Finicum.
Prior to release of the FBI video Sharp stated that Payne had his hands and head out the window and was asking to let the woman out, and he was shot at.
Flashes are clearly seen on the video of the stop. Immediately after those flashes Finicum leaves. Whether those flashes are muzzle flashes, flash bangs, or something else I do not know. Sharp said that after being shot at they realized that the police “meant business” and that Finicum yelled that he was going to continue driving so that he could “talk to the sheriff.”
So we know that the persons in the truck believed they were being shot at and believed they were likely going to be killed, so they fled.
They never should have left, yet I understand why they did.
When they left they were fired on again (according to Sharp). Why? What purpose does that serve? The police know there is a roadblock ahead, Finicum doesn’t. They know there is nowhere for Finicum to go except to the roadblock, yet they shot at them as they left.
The police know that there is a roadblock ahead and they give close pursuit (the chase car arrives as Finicum is exiting the truck). Where did they think Finicum would go? Where could he go? The stop was northbound on US 395 just north of NF-31 which intersects from the west. Between the stop and the roadblock there are two possible turnoffs: Gravel Ridge Way, and the parking lot for the Joaquin Miller Horse Camp. Both of which are on the left and both of which are snowed in.
Once at the roadblock Finicum immediately exited the truck with his hands raised. He is surrendering. He must have thought he was doing the right thing versus remaining in the truck, which might have been interpreted as holing up in preparation for a shootout. He does not know there is anyone in the woods. He is walking from the truck with his hands raised, his attention seems to be on the officer on the snowbank, he stumbles a little in the snow (it looks to be shin deep and crusty), and then appears to become confused. Is he receiving conflicting orders? I don’t know. I do know that he had his hands raised until a man came out of the woods and then Finicum starts turning right and left and is shot dead. It’s unclear if in the last moments he reached. He may have thought he was about to be executed and thought he could get out of his jam, or something else. I don’t know. It seems to me that he was surrendering, the man from the woods became involved, Finicum began to panic, twisting around from one officer to the other, and a second or two later he was dead.
I am not saying Finicum is without fault. I am saying the positioning of forces and conduct of officers practically guaranteed the outcome, whether intended or not.
Thank you for your analysis. I believe it is very close to my own.
Not according to this interview with Victoria Sharp.
According to her, Ryan Payne said he had been fired at, but then got out of the truck and surrendered. He wasn't gunned down when he did so I'm not sure what the others in the truck were afraid of.
LeVoy and the others in the truck then sat around discussing whether they should flee or not - which I doubt they would have done if they thought they were under fire.
Eventually, LeVoy decided to bolt and here we are.
Finally, neither Ammon nor anyone else detained in the initial stop has claimed that anyone was firing at the other truck. Why?