Officials address arrests during press conference News Refuge Occupation January 27, 2016January 27, 201613 At a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 27, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI in Oregon Greg Bretzing stated the FBI and other law enforcement agencies “worked diligently to bring the situation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to a peaceful end.” Bretzing said the armed occupiers were given ample opportunity to leave peacefully, the opportunity to negotiate, and the opportunity to return to their homes and have their grievances heard through legal and appropriate means. “They chose, instead, to threaten the very America they profess to love with violence, intimidation and criminal acts,” Bretzing said. On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Robert “LaVoy” Finicum was shot and killed by police during an enforcement action to arrest several individuals involved with the occupation of the refuge. The incident occurred on about 20 miles north of Burns on Highway 395. Those arrested in the stop were Ammon Edward Bundy, age 40, of Emmett, Idaho; Ryan C. Bundy, age 43, of Bunkerville, Nev.; Brian Cavalier, age 44, of Bunkerville, Nev.; Shawna Cox, age 59, of Kanab, Utah; and Ryan Waylen Payne, age 32, of Anaconda, Mont. Later in the day, Joseph D. Oshaughnessy, 43, of Cottonwood, Arizona, and Peter T. Santilli, 50, of Cincinnati were also taken into custody. Jon Eric Ritzheimer, age 32, turned himself into the Peoria, Ariz., police department. The arrest was without incident. U.S. Attorney for Oregon Bill Williams said all eight of the individuals were arrested for the federal felony offense of “conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats.” Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward said, “I’ve been working on a peaceful resolution to this problem since Nov. 5, when several of the individuals arrested yesterday came into my office. They had ultimatums I couldn’t meet. I’m here to uphold the law.” Ward said multiple law enforcement agencies put a lot of work in to putting together the best tactical plan they could to bring about a peaceful end. “It didn’t have to happen,” Ward said. “We all make choices in life. Sometime our choices go bad. “The occupation at the refuge and the actions of some of the folks down there have created a lot of stress in our community. It hasn’t just been isolated to the refuge, and I think that’s a point that gets missed quite a bit. Some of these folks have spent a lot of time in town, trying to stir some issues within the community. “If it was as simple as just waiting out some folks down there to get out of some buildings, we could’ve waited a lot longer. But this has been tearing our community apart. “It’s time for everybody in this illegal occupation to move on. “There doesn’t have to be bloodshed in our community. If we have issues with the way things are going in our government, we have a responsibility as citizens to act on those in an appropriate manner. We don’t arm up. We don’t arm up and rebel. We work through the appropriate channels. “This can’t happen anymore. This can’t happen in America, and it can’t happen in Harney County.” Except for Ritzheimer, those who were arrested were set to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland.
The people of Harney County have been on my mind since the beginning of this mess. I cannot imagine how hard this must be for all of you. I spent a bit of time at Steens and understand what a special place your home is. I just want to take this opportunity to commend you and your Sheriff about the way you have conducted yourselves. You do us Oregonians proud. My thoughts are for a speedy and best outcome for your community. I live at the coast. Know that we are with you. Reply
Proud of a community that invites in armed government thugs to ambush and execute a man and then claim that he went for his gun AFTER they shot him and he reflexively reached towards his wound? The people of Burns should be ashamed of their coward sheriff who would not step up and fulfill his duty as the highest authority in the county! Reply
When there is a death involved in any criminal activity, those involved are guilty of an aggrevated crime(s), All members of this armed attack on United States property are guilty of aiding, and abetting the aggravated crimes, at the least. 20 years to life is a reasonable sentence on each count. The plea from those that stayed at the compound that they “JUST WANT TO GO HOME” is beyond rational thought. Had the aggravated assault on the BLM agents, lead by the senior Bundy, been responded to appropriately, the entire Oregon situation probably would never had happened. And then, to have the arrogance to demand “RETURN” of U.S. land to these incredibly greedy. self right righteous, “TERRORISTS” is, again, beyond rational understanding. Confiscating all property from these terrorists would probably stop the other “BILLIONAIRE RACHERS” from considering themselves so far above the law! Reply
The terrorists were all from the BLM, FBI, Oregon State Police and the Sheriff’s department. The protesters never fired a shot. Eric Holder, former Attorney General, participated in an armed sit in that closed down an ROTC office. http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/30/as-college-sophomore-eric-holder-participated-in-armed-takeover-of-former-columbia-university-rotc-office/. Should he have been shot and killed? Reply
SHERIFF DAVE WARD IS NO HERO The Fifth Amendment to our Constitution states very clearly “nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb”. This is exactly what our federal government was doing to the Hammonds. They had served their sentence. They had been released from custody and then the government decided that they needed to serve even more time. This is a blatant violation of one of our most basic civil rights. Sheriff Ward was asked to hold the Hammonds in his jail and to refuse to turn them over to the federal government for their illegal and unconstitutional double jeopardy sentence. Sheriff Ward refused. If Sheriff Ward had exercised his supreme jurisdiction in Harney county he could have: 1. Prevented the occupation of Malheur by patriots who believe that our Constitution and Bill of Rights matter. 2.Could have saved the residents of Burns and Harney County all of the grief of the occupation at Malheur by patriots and the occupation of Burns by the FBI (the issue would have become a simple court case between the Sheriff‘s department and the federal government). 3. Could have saved the taxpayers the expense of the FBI occupation of Burns. 4. Could have prevented the ambush killing of LaVoy Finicum in an illegal traffic stop. Instead Sheriff Ward chose to side with the FBI and abdicate his authority as sheriff of Harney county by turning the Hammonds over to our federal government to serve an illegal and unconstitutional double jeopardy sentence. If any story about a miscarriage of justice has a villain this one does – Sheriff Dave Ward! Reply
Clearly you have never read the US Constitution. I’m willing to bet you don’t believe the US Supreme Court either. Double jeopardy has absolutely nothing to do with sentencing. It has among other things to do with being tried more than once for the same crime. There are many cases where a sentence has been served and a higher court ruled that more time must be served. It isn’t double jeopardy. It is called sentencing. Clearly the “occupiers” didn’t care one whit about the Bill of Rights or the Constitution. Nor did they care if the lied for that matter. I have no idea where the uneducated get the idea that the sheriff is the law of the land. “Sheriff” appears nowhere in the Constitution. What a lot of this boils down to is ignorant people who have followed Ammon Bundy like sheep, not thinking or learning for themselves. Reply
This was a planned murder to silence the American dissenters. They planned this over a week ago. If you watch the video you will see an FBI agent come from behind the trees and shoot the victim in the back. The federal government is not allowed to own any land except for the White House Land. The BLM has become an agency to do the bidding of our government. If this continues where the government oversteps the constitution they will put the farmers in America out of work, just as they are doing with the American people by the influx of illegals into this country. People in America had better stand up and smell the coffee brewing or there will be no America. It will be another third world country controlled by Islamic terrorists. Reply
I think the folks in Harney County ought to be very proud of the way Sheriff Ward and Judge Grasty have handled this tough situation. Couple of very strong leaders with a consistent message. Well done! Reply
Proud of people who conspired to put together an ambush roadblock and kill an innocent man? Where did you get your moral compass? Reply
They should both be in jail for collusion to cover up a crime. The BLM should be disbanded. The government cannot legally own any property except that which the White House sits on. The BLM is an arm used by the government to confiscate land. As well there is what is called double jeopardy, and since they served time once or are found innocent they cannot be tied or jailed again. Reply
We have a long history of peaceful occupation of buildings in this country. In the sixties they used to call them sit-ins. Native Americans occupied Alcatraz in the sixties. That occupation by 400 people, lasted 19 months but ended peacefully in 1969 and no one got shot. This misuse of extreme force was a blunder. If the state and local governments don’t know it yet, they will know it soon. Many people that were against the protesters are now very shocked by the results of this “traffic stop”. They are dumbfounded by this. They are now asking “Why did LaVoy Finicum have to die?” All they had to do was wait out the occupation of an old building that was empty for the winter anyway. Yes these occupiers were embarrassing and annoying to the powers at be, but that’s what a protest is supposed to do. Without this protest I would not know that the BLM is using the anti-terrorist laws to go after private land owners and “acquire” their land. I would have never thought that would ever happen in America, but now I know it in fact is. Because of this occupation, I now know that is really happening. This kind of corruption can’t be kept secret. LaVoy Finicum did not deserve to be shot down in the road like a dog for standing up against the heavy hand of the BLM and government tyranny. He was not a criminal. He was a brave man who was standing up for freedom and had harmed no one. County and state law enforcement would have done much better to have listened to this former FBI agent instead of the governor and her senators. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BV9d2ni6OQ Learned the real story here: http://www.newyorker.com/…/ammon-bundy-stands-down… • 1 • 14 mins Learned the legal facts here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1JzuQf4DMU Reply
I’m not willing to criticize anyone, and i can see all points of view, but if I had a chance to occupy a property that I did not buy and own, I would not take a gun with me. And if I’m involved in a traffic stop, I’m fairly certain that I’m going to stop. I’m sorry that Mr. Finicum was shot and I’m sorry that others were arrested. As for me though, I try to never have contact with law enforcement. Peace. Reply
I still do not know what the occupation is about. After watching for this last month I still do not know what it is ranchers own that is being taken away from them. I understand what the occupiers are taking away from me. I bird watch there. Rock hunt within a few miles of the reserve and during the season, I antelope hunt in the area. It sounds to me like the occupiers are not allowing the public and me to do any of those things on public land. Even so Please no more deaths. Please wait the occupiers out until is is safe to take them. Reply