Militia members hold out at Oregon reserve after highway arrests

JUDY WOODRUFF:

It began on January 2, when an armed anti-government group took over a national wildlife refuge in Eastern Oregon. Then, late yesterday, the standoff suddenly lurched into violent conflict.

And, today, questions swirled about what happened and what happens next.

After weeks of waiting, federal and state officers corralled the militia leaders during a traffic stop.

MAN:

Looked like they were making some arrests and clogging up the highway. I am glad to see an end to this. Hopefully, it is an end to this.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

They were captured as they drove to a community meeting in John Day, Oregon, 70 miles north of Burns, near the wildlife refuge. Gunfire erupted during the confrontation, and the group's unofficial spokesman, LaVoy Finicum, was shot and killed. The Arizona rancher had said he'd rather die than be arrested.

Jason Patrick is one of those still occupying the refuge.

JASON PATRICK, Militia Member:

They told us that we could safely leave. Well, the group that was leaving has a dead man in it. There's another man who left and was in Arizona, and he's in custody. They have said peaceful resolution the whole time, so it depends on what you believe.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

FBI officials refused today to give details of how the shooting happened, while insisting the whole situation could have been avoided.

GREGORY BRETZING, FBI Special Agent in Charge: The armed occupiers have been given ample opportunity to leave the refuge peacefully. They have been given opportunities to negotiate. Instead, these individuals have chosen to threaten and intimidate the America they profess to love and, through criminal actions, bring these consequences upon themselves.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Amanda Peacher is with Oregon Public Broadcasting, and has been covering the standoff.

AMANDA PEACHER, Oregon Public Broadcasting:

It is very tense and a very anxious place here in Burns, Oregon, today. I think a lot of people in this community have been suffering for weeks now, wondering how this is going to end. And while some people in this community sympathize with the militants' message that federal lands would be in better hands under local control. No one here wanted violence.

So, I'm seeing a lot of grief and a lot of anxiety and uncertainty as to what could happen next with the remaining occupiers still at the refuge and with the hefty law enforcement presence here in Burns.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Authorities arrested the group's leader, Ammon Bundy, at the traffic stop along with his brother, Ryan, and three others, Brian Cavalier, Shawna Cox, and Ryan Payne.

Two other occupiers, Joseph Donald O'Shaughnessy and Peter Santilli, were taken into custody separately back in Burns. Hours later, an eighth militia, Jon Eric Ritzheimer, surrendered to police in Arizona. Each will face felony charges of conspiring to impede federal officers.

The group has occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge since January 2 to protest federal control of public lands.

RYAN BUNDY, Militia Member:

We want to make sure that they remain open to the public, where people can hunt and fish and hike and camp and watch the birds. We also want to make sure that those who own the rights on these lands can use it without inhibition from government.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

But the local sheriff, Dave Ward, warned today that it's time for the standoff to end.

DAVE WARD, Harney County Sheriff:

It's time for everybody in this illegal occupation to move on. There doesn't have to be bloodshed in our community.

If we have issues with the way things are going in our government, we have a responsibility as citizens to act on those in an appropriate manner. We don't arm up.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Again, Amanda Peacher.

AMANDA PEACHER:

Those remaining have decided to stay, no matter what it takes. Many have told reporters that they are willing to die there. And they seem to be making preparations to sort of hunker down.

We have heard reports that they're building trenches, and that they are armed, although we don't know to what extent. And they seem ready to stay and potentially fight.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Checkpoints have now been set up along key routes in and out of the refuge to secure the area. One of the occupation leaders says five or six militia members are still holding out there.