This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/08/lavoy-finicum-oregon-militia-standoff-police-shooting-video

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Police say shooting of LaVoy Finicum, Oregon standoff activist, was ‘justified’ Police say shooting of LaVoy Finicum, Oregon standoff activist, was ‘justified’
(about 1 hour later)
Oregon police were justified when they shot and killed militia spokesperson LaVoy Finicum, according to law enforcement officials, who released a dramatic video of the final moments before the death of the high-profile rightwing activist who helped lead an anti-government standoff at a wildlife refuge.Oregon police were justified when they shot and killed militia spokesperson LaVoy Finicum, according to law enforcement officials, who released a dramatic video of the final moments before the death of the high-profile rightwing activist who helped lead an anti-government standoff at a wildlife refuge.
The Deschutes county sheriff’s office and a local prosecutor in Oregon on Tuesday released a video from inside the vehicle Finicum was driving just before he was killed – footage that shows the 54-year-old Arizona rancher screaming at police, demanding that they let him go or shoot him.The Deschutes county sheriff’s office and a local prosecutor in Oregon on Tuesday released a video from inside the vehicle Finicum was driving just before he was killed – footage that shows the 54-year-old Arizona rancher screaming at police, demanding that they let him go or shoot him.
“Go ahead and shoot me,” Finicum shouted on the video, which police say was recorded by militia member Shawna Cox, who was inside the car on 27 January before Finicum was killed. “You back down or you kill me now. Go ahead, put the bullet through me ... Do you want my blood on your hands?” Finicum said. “Go ahead and shoot me,” Finicum shouted on the video, which police say was recorded by militia member Shawna Cox, who was inside the car on 27 January before Finicum was killed. “You back down or you kill me now. Go ahead, put the bullet through me. ... Do you want my blood on your hands?” Finicum said.
“Mr Finicum chose to break the law ... and he chose to provoke a confrontation with law enforcement,” FBI special agent Greg Bretzing said a Tuesday morning news conference in Bend, Oregon.“Mr Finicum chose to break the law ... and he chose to provoke a confrontation with law enforcement,” FBI special agent Greg Bretzing said a Tuesday morning news conference in Bend, Oregon.
Malheur county district attorney Dan Norris added, “I have concluded that all six shots fired by the Oregon state police – the three into the truck and three that shot Mr Finicum – are justified.” Malheur county district attorney Dan Norris added: “I have concluded that all six shots fired by the Oregon state police – the three into the truck and three that shot Mr Finicum – are justified.”
Local officials also revealed that FBI officers had fired shots but did not disclose that fact to investigators after the incident – prompting an ongoing federal investigation into the FBI’s actions.
Finicum became one of the key spokesmen and leaders of the occupation at the Malheur national wildlife refuge, which began on 2 January and dragged on for weeks escalating with a dramatic police confrontation on a remote highway outside of the town of Burns.Finicum became one of the key spokesmen and leaders of the occupation at the Malheur national wildlife refuge, which began on 2 January and dragged on for weeks escalating with a dramatic police confrontation on a remote highway outside of the town of Burns.
On the afternoon of the fatal incident, Finicum, along with brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and three other key members of the militia, left the refuge to drive to a town two hours north of the occupation for a community meeting they had planned to recruit other supporters in rural Oregon.On the afternoon of the fatal incident, Finicum, along with brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and three other key members of the militia, left the refuge to drive to a town two hours north of the occupation for a community meeting they had planned to recruit other supporters in rural Oregon.
FBI officials and Oregon state troopers attempted to stop the protesters, who were in two separate vehicles, prompting a brief chase and shooting. Finicum, who was driving a truck, sped away and nearly hit a law enforcement agent with the vehicle as it crashed into heavy snow, according to the official account of the FBI, which last month released aerial footage of the incident.FBI officials and Oregon state troopers attempted to stop the protesters, who were in two separate vehicles, prompting a brief chase and shooting. Finicum, who was driving a truck, sped away and nearly hit a law enforcement agent with the vehicle as it crashed into heavy snow, according to the official account of the FBI, which last month released aerial footage of the incident.
The FBI said that Finicum was armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and that after he stepped out of his vehicle, he reached his hand toward his pocket. At that point, in a shooting captured in the agency’s blurry footage from its airplane, state troopers fired at Finicum, who fell over and lay motionless in the snow.The FBI said that Finicum was armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and that after he stepped out of his vehicle, he reached his hand toward his pocket. At that point, in a shooting captured in the agency’s blurry footage from its airplane, state troopers fired at Finicum, who fell over and lay motionless in the snow.
Law enforcement officials have said that the video demonstrates that police were justified in shooting Finicum, but the Arizona man’s family and his many supporters across the rightwing land-use rights’ movement have argued that the protester would never have fired at police and that the killing was a targeted assassination of a government protester. The new footage from inside the car shows that Finicum was insistent that officers let him pass.
After the shooting, the Bundy brothers, who were the main leaders of the standoff, along with militia members Cox, Brian Cavalier and Ryan Payne were arrested and charged with conspiring against the government. “He is commanded to get on the ground. He does not comply,” said Deschutes county sheriff Shane Nelson, who led the investigation into the shooting in nearby Harney County. Narrating the video footage, Nelson continued, “He lifts his hand, he looks down at his jacket and again reaches across his body ... into his jacket toward the area where his gun was found.”
Officials said that one state trooper attempted to use a Taser to stop Finicum, but that they ultimately fired bullets in self defense.
Authorities also announced that the local investigation uncovered that FBI officers had fired two bullets as Finicum was exiting the vehicle – shots that did not hit him.
The FBI officers, part of a so-called “hostage rescue team”, did not initially disclose this to the Deschutes county sheriff’s office, Nelson said. “Of particular concern to all of us is that the FBI ... operators did not disclose their shots to our investigators nor did they disclose specific actions they took after the shooting.”
The US inspector general of the department of justice and the Deschutes sheriff are now investigating the FBI’s failure to disclose those shots – an inquiry that is likely to fuel the claims of Finicum’s defenders that the process has been unfair and biased in favor of police.
Bretzing said the question of who fired those shots has not been resolved and that the FBI is cooperating with the investigation.
Officials declined to name any of the state or federal agents involved in the shooting, saying that Finicum’s supporters have made threats that they would target the officers.
Law enforcement officials have said that the videos demonstrate that police were justified in shooting Finicum, but the Arizona man’s family and his many supporters across the rightwing land-use rights movement have argued that the protester would never have fired at police and that the killing was a targeted assassination of a government protester.
After the shooting, the Bundy brothers – who were the main leaders of the standoff – along with militia members Cox, Brian Cavalier and Ryan Payne, were arrested and charged with conspiring against the government.
Since the initial round of arrests, a total of 25 people from across the US have been arrested and charged for their roles in the occupation, which began as a protest of the federal government’s land-use regulations and officials’ treatment of local ranchers.Since the initial round of arrests, a total of 25 people from across the US have been arrested and charged for their roles in the occupation, which began as a protest of the federal government’s land-use regulations and officials’ treatment of local ranchers.
Throughout the occupation, Finicum made headlines for his protest actions, including taking down cameras that he said police was using for surveillance, rummaging through Native American artifacts at the refuge and helping to destroy a government fence. Throughout the occupation, Finicum made headlines for his protest actions, including taking down cameras that he said police were using for surveillance, rummaging through Native American artifacts at the refuge and helping to destroy a government fence.
His family and supporters have described him as a martyr and patriot who fought for ranchers’ rights to use public lands across the west . His family and supporters have described him as a martyr and patriot who fought for ranchers’ rights to use public lands across the west.