FBI are moving to contain the final four in the #Oregonstandoff: https://t.co/Sa1IaRasFe pic.twitter.com/D3FFW9keOM
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 11, 2016
On Wednesday night, the FBI surrounded the last few occupiers at an Oregon wildlife refuge. There were still four armed individuals who remained at a building at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge that they seized on January 2.
According to the Associated Press, “authorities said they placed agents at barricades both immediately ahead of and behind the area where the occupiers were camping.” The occupiers said they were surrounded by armored vehicles. There is said to be as many as six vehicles with 30 law enforcement agents.
Occupiers spoke on the phone with Michele Fiore, a member of the Nevada Assembly, who discussed the possibility of turning themselves in to the authorities on Thursday. Fiore is believed to be traveling to the refuge to further negotiations.
The occupiers said they would surrender on Thursday morning only if escorted by Fiore and Franklin Graham, who is part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Sean Anderson, one of the occupiers, said they would meet FBI agents at a checkpoint at 8 a.m. on Thursday morning.
“We have to walk to them with our hands raised, no weapons,” Anderson said.
“They have given us their word that they’re going to stand down tonight,” Fiore said. “They’ve promised us…I expect them to honor their promise.”
Greg Bretzing, a special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon, gave a statement on why action was being taken.
"We reached a point where it became necessary to take action in a way that best ensured the safety of those on the refuge" – SAC Bretzing
— FBI Portland (@FBIPortland) February 11, 2016
"The FBI has negotiated with patience and restraint in an effort to resolve the situation peacefully" – SAC Bretzing #OregonStandoff
— FBI Portland (@FBIPortland) February 11, 2016
The final four remaining armed occupiers are Sean Anderson, 47, of Riggins, Idaho, Sandy Anderson, 48, of Riggins, Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada, and Idaho David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio.
Fry has made social media posts that included “#Pray4ISIS,” “#HitlerWasRight” and the phrase “Obama needs to be hung after being found guilty for TREASON!!”
An acquaintance of Fry was live-streaming a phone call from the standoff on to YouTube where occupiers can be heard arguing with someone they said was a negotiator.
“They killed LaVoy and they’re about to kill us,” one of the occupiers said during the stream about Robert “LaVoy” Finicum the protester who was killed during the standoff. “If they shoot, then we’ll shoot back.”
“If we go to jail, we’ll never see the light of day again,” Sandy Anderson stated.
Meanwhile, infamous Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy has been arrested after flying into Portland International Airport. Cliven is the father of Ammon Bundy, the leader of the occupation at an Oregon wildlife refuge.
On Wednesday night around 11 p.m., Cliven was detained by the FBI and booked into Multnomah County Jail. Bundy is facing federal charges related to the 2014 standoff at his ranch. The 74-year-old Bundy is known for being the catalyst for a standoff in Nevada with federal officials over the use of public lands.
He faces a conspiracy charge to interfere with a federal officer, the same charges that two of his sons, Ammon and Ryan, were charged with for their role in the January 2 seizure of the refugee building. He also faces weapons charges and he has not paid grazing fees on federal land and now owes the U.S. Bureau of Land Management $1 million in unpaid fees and penalties.
A post on Bundy Ranch’s Facebook page gave details of the arrest.
Bundy was traveling to Burns, Oregon which is close to the wildlife refuge.
{USAToday]