Domestic terrorismOregon militia member killed, others arrested after standoff with police

Published 27 January 2016

Arizona rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, 55, one of the armed antigovernment protesters occupying a remote federal facility in eastern Oregon, has been killed in a shootout with the FBI and state police. The group’s leader, Nevada rancher Ammon Bundy, and five other men were arrested. Those arrested were charged with conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats.

Arizona rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, 55, one of the armed antigovernment protesters occupying a remote federal facility in eastern Oregon, has been killed in a shootout with the FBI and state police. The group’s leader, Nevada rancher Ammon Bundy, and five other men were arrested.

Fox News reports that Finicum was killed after the FBI and state police stopped the men’s vehicles on a highway around fifty miles north of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, which the group has occupied for three weeks.

The authorities did not publicly identify the dead man last night, but Mr Finicum’s family confirmed that he had been killed during the confrontation, which took place at around 4.30pm local time.

Ryan Bundy, the brother of Ammon Bundy, suffered a minor gunshot wound but was treated and later released from hospital into FBI custody. No law enforcement personnel was hurt in the incident.

Those arrested were charged with conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats.

The group occupied the federal facility after two local ranchers were ordered to return to prison to see out their terms for arson. The two were convicted of setting fires that spread on to federal land in 2001 and 2006. In October a judge ruled that the two’s original 12-month sentences did not meet the federal minimum of five years, and sent both back to prison.

During the three weeks of the occupation, the group called on other American “patriots” to join them. Two members of a far-right militia who tried to join the group were arrested, and a third one turned himself in.

All three face the same conspiracy charge as do members of the original group.

Dozens of other members of various extremist militias remain at the remote refuge buildings. On its Web site, the militia collective Operation Mutual Defense called on followers of the anti-government ideology to rally to the location in support of the arrested men. “If you fail to arrive, you will demonstrate by your own actions that your previous statements to defend life, liberty, and property were false,” the Web site’s posting implores.