A look at the last day of the refuge occupation

It was around 5:50 Wednesday evening when NewsChannel 21 first heard unconfirmed reports of FBI movement into the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County.

We heard these reports were being broadcasted by Gavin Siems on YouTube.

You can hear occupiers David Fry and Sean Anderson saying FBI vehicles are moving in.

Soon after, at 6:18, the FBI confirmed what was going on. In their press release, they said, “At approximately 4:30 p.m., one of the occupiers rode an ATV outside the established barricades at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.”

They had decided it was time to make a move and bring the 40-day occupation to a conclusion.

At 11:40 p.m., NewsChannel 21 learned Cliven Bundy, the father of occupation leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy, was arrested on arrival at Portland International Airport.

Friday morning, the live feed continued, as news outlets all over Oregon took to social media.

NewsChannel 21 was told the occupiers were expected to surrender at 8 a.m. but at 9 the live stream was still going, and it wasn’t over.

At that point, Michele Fiore, an assembly woman from Nevada, all four of the occupiers, the Rev. Franklin Graham and Gavin Seims were on the live stream.

At 9:40 a.m., he FBI took three of the remaining occupiers into custody, one at a time, without incident.

“So right now, they’re telling everyone to come out one at a time,” said occupier Sean Anderson.

Around 9:50, word that Cliven Bundy was charged with assault and conspiracy.

One occupier, David Fry, refused to come out. He said, “Unless my grievances are met, I will not come out. It’s liberty or death. I will not go another day a slave to the system, I’m a free man — I will die a free man.”

Around 10:50 a.m. we heard the live feed go partially silent as Fry spoke with FBI agents saying he would cooperate, if they all said “hallelujah”

You then hear FBI agents ask Fry to keep his hands raised, and then put them behind his back after they loudly shout “hallelujah!” as he had requested

Harney County released a statement officially announcing the end of the occupation around noon. A press conference was held Thursday at 2 p.m.

There is much ahead, in court and at the refuge. But the standoff wasover.