New details due out Tuesday in OSP LaVoy Finicum shooting
More information will be released at a Tuesday news conference by authorities investigating the Jan. 26 fatal shooting of Malheur Wildlife Refuge occupier Robert “LaVoy” Finicum by Oregon State Police troopers on U.S. Highway 395 north of Burns.
Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson and Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris on Monday invited reporters to a joint news conference Tuesday in Bend “regarding the ongoing officer-involved shooting investigation.”
They declined to publicly reveal the time or location, asking media representatives to RSVP for the details, presumably out of security concerns.
The Deschutes County Major Incident Team was called in to lead the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.
The Oregonian reported that officials will announce a decision on whether troopers were justified in the shooting of Finicum.
The newspaper said the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office recently turned over the results of its investigation to the Malheur County DA. He was asked to oversee the investigation by Harney County DA Tim Colahan, to provide an independent assessment.
Two days after the shooting, the FBI released aerial surveillance video of a traffic stop, pursuit and shooting, stating that Finicum had been reaching toward a coat pocket where a loaded 9 mm handgun was found when OSP troopers shoot Finicum. The 41-day occupation ended in early February, but protests over the fatal shooting and disputing the FBI’s statements have occurred as recently as this weekend.
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Here’s the full text of the previous statement issued Feb. 2 by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office was asked by the Oregon State Police to lead the investigation into the officer involved shooting on January 26 in Harney County.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reached out to agencies on the Tri-County Major Incident Team.* Resources from The Bend Police Department, Redmond Police Department, and Oregon State Police provided resources for the Major Incident Team investigation (all are agencies from within Deschutes County).
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has received a number of requests for information and or release of evidence. At this time, we will not release any further information on the investigation.
“Our office continues to lead the Major Incident Team on the Harney County officer-involved shooting investigation. This is an ongoing investigation and in order to maintain its integrity, no further information will be released until a thorough investigation and review is completed by Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris,” stated Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris stated, “All pertinent reports will be released to the public when the investigation is complete.” These investigations take a considerable amount of time. It is expected to be at least 4 to 6 weeks before this information is likely to be released. Any updates or release of information will be released through http://www.flashalertbend.net/.
*The Tri-County Major Incident Team is comprised of members of law enforcement from the Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Offices and District Attorneys; the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Black Butte Ranch, Sunriver and Warm Springs Police Departments and the Oregon State Police. The purpose of the Tri-County Major Incident Team is to allow agencies access to additional investigative resources during major incidents.
