The arrests did disrupt and demoralize the Malheur occupiers, most of whom soon left the refuge, while a few others were arrested. The decision by federal and state authorities to make the arrest attempt was in some respects a risky one, not only because officers could be wounded or killed by extremists, but also because the wounding or death of any of the occupiers could have negative consequences in terms of enraging the extreme right and possibly prompting acts of violence. Ryan Bundy, another vehicle occupant, suffered a minor gunshot wound, apparently from a stray bullet. Upon seeing this motion, the second trooper fired shots at Finicum, killing him. A second trooper emerged from the woods behind Finicum, which Finicum seems to have heard, because he turned around and once more reached into his jacket.
Though Finicum had emerged from the vehicle with his hands partially raised, upon seeing the trooper he appears to have reached for something under his jacket (authorities later confirmed he had a firearm). Video footage shot from a helicopter shows a trooper approaching Finicum with the trooper’s weapon drawn. While other occupants stayed in the vehicle-possibly trapped by the snowbank-Finicum rushed out into the snow. Perhaps attempting to evade the roadblock, Finicum drove his vehicle into a snowbank, narrowly missing the police vehicles and an officer. The other vehicle, driven by Finicum, fled the traffic stop, only to encounter a roadblock a short distance away. One of the two vehicles stopped and its occupants were removed peacefully.
Seeing an opportunity to apprehend most of the takeover leaders away from the refuge and its many armed extremists, the FBI and the OSP organized a traffic stop with roadblocks along the rural road to John Day. Helicopter footage of shooting of "LaVoy" Finicum (middle) as he seems to reach for a weapon.įinicum, along with occupation leader Ammon Bundy and others, were traveling in two vehicles to attend a community meeting in John Day, Oregon, where they hoped to find support for their armed seizure.
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