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.
More importantly, in the interview, he said something about how beautiful the world was outside, and that he would not die behind bars. He repeated the statement about not dying behind bars, I believe, for emphasis- to all who would see the interview, and- he may have said it a total of three times during said interview, but- there was no mistaking what he said and what he meant. He wasn't going to be taken alive. Tragic. Foolish way to die. Suicide by law enforcement. He chose the wrong hill to die on, in my puny humble opinion.
Finicum leaves behind eleven children.
Says the newbie
I’ll save everyone the trouble- my post is wholly based on here say, and is inadmissible in a court of law, nor is it worth the price of a cup of coffee. Your mileage may vary.
Correction- the part about Finicum’s age is straight out of Finicum’s mouth, during a somewhat recent interview, which was recorded and viewed by those watching FOX News moments ago. The rest is conjecture.
I don’t consider this “real news” just as I didn’t consider the “eyewitness” accounts at Ferguson real news.
I’ll withhold judgement until a single feral agent suffers consequences for his actions.
Yeah... I know what you mean.
Where’s the videotape then
Feds have a huge hammer over anyone else armed in that car
They can be charged with murder because the cops shot their pal
Crazy but true
America is full of well intended but liberty stripping laws mostly initiated by conservatives under the guise of public safety
If he did charged, ARMED, at POLICE as it was written, I would suggest suicide by cop.
I happen to agree with these guys. I think the truth will come out eventually. Will wait and see
This is utter nonsense. McConnell sounds like he was the government plant in the group. Normally the plant is the one stopped away from the scene of the gun fire to protect them from harm so that they can make these statements.
This is garbage and should be removed from FR.
Yeah I bet it matched and well rehearsed.
Yup. Horiuchi is the poster boy for government thugs. He represents everything our feral government stands for.
But it’s Ok for everyone else to say the cops murdered him.
?
Let's see the "dash cam" shots from the Feds and then we can all make up our minds
I am sure the Feds were documenting all of the moves that were going on since this was so much national attention on this siege.
My thoughts is that he was whacked and is a martyr for the cause.
The Feds do not care how many white Citizens they kill in their day to day ops.
White Citizens living and feeding themselves do not matter anymore and are just in the way for the grand plans of an urban society where the Feds feed and subjugate the masses.
People that stand upright on their own two feet will just be a problem to them. Especially a 70 year old.
My first question is why was this guy not arrested? Plant/informant/FBI plant? Who this guy is needs to be established.
It’s time to accept reality, not just try to perpetuate rumors.
Then stop spreading rumors and wait for the facts.
Who is the 70 year old?
I certainly hope there is dash cam video as well.
Have you noticed in some of their videos, they get stranger and stranger as the “sun is over the yeararm” and the drinking has commenced,
Robert “LaVoy” Finicum
According to the news reports I’ve been reading, he’s 55.
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