LaVoy Finicum’s tearful daughter says he’s ‘now a martyr’

The daughter of Malheur Refuge occupation spokesman LaVoy Finicum, reportedly killed by federal agents during a traffic stop north of Burns, said Wednesday her father was a loving man and loved freedom more than his life.

Challice Finch said she is heading back to Arizona from her home in Texas to be with her family.

Finch’s father reportedly was killed by federal agents during a traffic stop on Highway 395 in Harney County, law enforcement officials are quoted as saying.

The traffic stop led to the arrest of Ammon Bundy and several militia members, who appeared in U.S. District Court in Portland Wednesday afternoon.

LaVoy Finicum had told reporters he would die before he would go to prison.

Finicum, a rancher from Colorado City, Arizona, traveled several hundred miles to join the Bundy militia at the refuge.

“He’s a great man, and just because he’s dead doesn’t mean his fight will not go on. He’s now a martyr,” Finch said.

After CNN and other media outlets reported the death of Finicum, people who supported the militia took to Twitter reacting what happened.

Nevada Assemblywoman Michelle Fiore tweeted “My heart and prayers go out to the LaVoy Finicum’s family. He was just murdered with his hands up in Burns, OR. Ryan Bundy has been shot in the arm.”

Federal agents say all in the two obeyed orders to surrender, except for two people, Finicum and Ryan Bundy.

Finch said her father texted her hours before leaving to meet with the Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer on Tuesday, a trip interrupted by the fateful traffic stop.

“He sent me a text to just check on me, making sure that I was doing good and to remember to pray and to let me know that he was thinking of me, and that he loved me and was praying for me every day.” Finch said.

Finch said no investigators had given the family any information on the shooting.

The Finicum family is going back to their Arizona ranch, where they plan to release a statement about his death.