RE Vineyard: “..I can hardly see ANY justification for anything more aggressive than a single agent, unarmed, knocking on the door...”
For the exact same reason that “Officer Friendly” in Germany (local cops) showed up with a few heavily armed Sicherheitsdienst (Internal Security Forces) or Einsaztgruppen (”Special Purpose Groups”) when they went door to door looking for Jews or folks who didn’t turn in their firearms - to instill absolute fear, shock, intimidation, coerce IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE, make an example for the sheeple, and let EVERYONE know “We’re in charge here”.
Damn this crap p*sses me off...
RE Vineyard: “...Anything more serious should result in firing of all agents on excessive use of force!!!”
Yeah, good luck with that. How many Feds do YOU know that ever got dismissed and did jail time? One of them is STILL in hiding for shooting an unarmed, nursing woman in the face - murdering her while she was holding her baby...Ruby Ridge ring a bell?
They don’t care. They mean to be masters, one way or the other.
The USFWS has been over the top for many years. An interesting example of their excesses is related in an account of the 1980ish Operation Falcon, “The Pilgrim and the Cowboy,” in which hundreds of American falconers were targeted in an elaborate, expensive entrapment scheme that produced many arrests and few convictions. I believe another sting similarly took place around 2003 or 2004.
The agency has targeted the herp people, the avian community, insect collectors and others over the years. Their tactics are unconscionable and disgusting. Unfortunately, few have the resources to fight them in the courts.
That guy was called a hero by the Attorney General.