Malheur occupation: Bundy cellphone video released, court date set

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office this week released new cellphone video from Ryan Bundy in the moments leading up to LaVoy Finicum’s shooting death.

“They’re shooting at us,” Bundy is heard saying on the video. “They got lasers at us. LaVoy got out. I think they killed LaVoy.”

Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox and Victoria Sharp were in the pickup truck after Finicum got out and was shot and killed by Oregon State Police troopers on Highway 395 north of Burns on Jan. 26.

The video cuts off when Bundy gets out of the truck and is arrested alongside Cox.

With more than two dozen occupiers now awaiting trial, some are calling for their release.

“They didn’t break any laws, the federal government broke the law,” Gavin Seim, an activist from Washington state, said in Prineville Tuesday night.

Seim rose to national fame after he live-streamed the conversation between the last four occupiers and the FBI on his YouTube channel.

Seim continued his nationwide speaking tour in Prineville Tuesday night.

“We lock more people up than any other nation,” Seim told a crowd of about two dozen at the Crook County Public Library.

He talked about the Constitution and government overreach. In particular, he criticized the judicial system in the U.S. and mass incarceration.

“(Judges) are a little bit more polite, and they have shiny desks and black robes, but they’re every bit the terrorist than ISIS is,” Seim said.

Seim’s controversial statements seemed to resonate with some Prineville residents in the audience.

“I loved it,” said Janet Beenem. “He’s so right on about stuff. Crook County has its name for a reason.”

“Good to hear someone else actually speak up about the Constitution,” said Shaun Loop.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Andrea Wilson. “There are a lot of good people out there who get arrested for no real reason.”

Seim asked everyone to demand the occupiers be released from federal prison and all charges against them to be dropped.

“They did a daring thing and try to stand up for the people in Oregon and Harney County and restore the land to beneficial use,” Seim said.

Federal officials don’t agree. The list of those arrested keeps growing. Former occupier Jake Ryan from Montana was arrested Tuesday.

The judge set jury selection for Sept. 7.