FBI releases video of occupier's shooting; judge won't release defendants until all leave refuge
The FBI says a video it released on Thursday shows an Oregon militant reached for his jacket before he was shot and killed by police.
The man who was shot and killed, Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, had acted as a spokesman for the group occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon to protest government control of land. The FBI discussed the video at a press conference, report the Washington Post, Reuters and OregonLive.
The Washington Post says the video “is low-quality and leaves room for interpretation,” while Reuters says “a lack of focus in the video makes it difficult to discern Finicum’s precise movements.”
According to the FBI, the video shows Finicum’s truck speeding from officers, nearly striking one officer, and the truck getting stuck in a snow bank next to a road block. Finicum got out of the truck.
“On at least two occasions,” an FBI statement says says, “Finicum reaches his right hand toward a pocket on the left inside portion of his jacket. He did have a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in that pocket.” At that time, Oregon State Police officers shot Finicum, the statement said.
Eleven people have been charged in the occupation so far. They are accused of a conspiracy to impede federal officers from their official duties through force, intimidation or threats.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman said on Thursday that none of those charged will be released from custody as long as occupiers remain at the wildlife refuge, OregonLive reports.
