UPDATE : The law enforcement partners involved in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge will hold a press conference at 11:30 am MST on Wednesday, January 27th.
Expected Participants:
FBI, Special Agent in Charge Greg Bretzing
United States Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Bill Williams
Harney County, Sheriff Dave Ward
Ammon Bundy, Other Protesters Arrested; LaVoy Finicum Killed
The weeks-long siege of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon suffered two major blows when protest leader Ammon Bundy was arrested and another key figure was killed.
Bundy and several fellow occupiers were pulled over Tuesday on Highway 395. They were headed to the city of John Day, where they were set to participate in a community meeting set up by local residents.
Everyone obeyed orders to surrender except two people: LaVoy Finicum and Bundy’s brother, Ryan Bundy. Shots were fired, but it’s unclear who fired first. Ryan Bundy was injured, and Finicum died.
With their leader Bundy in police custody and their spokesman, Finicum, dead, it’s unclear if the remaining occupiers will dig in their heels at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which they have occupied for 26 days– or if their resolve will wane.
Finicum was one of the most outspoken occupiers who took over the refuge near Burns on January 2 to protest federal land policies. Earlier this month, the father of 11 told CNN he doesn’t want to die — but would never go behind bars.
In all, police arrested eight people linked to the armed siege Tuesday: five in the traffic stop on Highway 395; two others in Burns; and one in Arizona.
The five arrested at the traffic stop were Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, Brian Cavalier, Shawna Cox and Ryan Waylen Payne.
The two arrested in Burns were Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy and Peter Santilli.
And protester Jon Ritzheimer, who previously made headlines for leading an anti-Islam protest in Arizona, turned himself in to police in Peoria, Arizona, FBI spokesman Kurt Remus said.
All eight people arrested face a federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats, the FBI and Oregon State
