FBI agent on deadly encounter: Actions have consequences
FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Bretzing told reporters and Harney County residents at a news conference Wednesday in Burns that the agencies involved had tried to resolve the refuge takeover peacefully and without bloodshed but added, “Actions are not without consequences.”
Here’s his full statement:
Good morning. My name is Greg Bretzing, and I am the Special Agent in Charge for the FBI in Oregon.
For the past month, the FBI — along with our partners at the Harney County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and the many other federal and local agencies — have had a very deliberate and measured response. We worked diligently to bring the situation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to a peaceful end. Some of those actions were seen, some unseen. But, because this is an on-going investigation with some armed individuals illegally remaining in the refuge, we cannot get into details as to every action tried or taken.
I will say that the armed occupiers were given ample opportunities to leave peacefully. They were given the opportunity to negotiate. As outsiders to Oregon, they were given the opportunity to return to their homes and have their grievances heard through legal and appropriate means. They chose, instead, to threaten the very America they profess to love with violence, intimidation and criminal acts.
Yesterday , the FBI and our partners took the necessary actions to start bringing this situation to an end. We worked to ensure that we could do so in the safest way possible — removing the threat of danger from innocent citizens. We continue to work to empty the refuge of the armed occupiers in the safest way possible.
Eight people were arrested, and one man died yesterday as we attempted to take him into custody. Because there is an on-going investigation by the Deschutes County Major Crimes Team on behalf of OSP related to this piece of the investigation, I will not be able to comment on the specifics.
I would, however, ask for your patience as the shooting investigation works its way through that outside process. At the appropriate time, the Medical Examiner’s office will release the decedent’s identity, and OSP will address the details of the event.
Let me be clear: It is fully and unequivocally the behavior and the choices made by the armed occupiers that have led us to where we are today . And, as the FBI and our partners have demonstrated, actions are not without consequences.
Containment road blocks are now in place around the Refuge. The disruption that the good people of Harney County have had to endure over the last few months will continue — for now.
If the people at the refuge want to leave, they can do so through the checkpoints where they will be identified. If they have questions or concerns, they can call the negotiators at the number that has been provided to them.
As I conclude, I want to share my promise to the people who live and work here — who are raising their families here – that we will continue to look for safe, peaceful and productive ways to end this armed occupation. We recognize that the sooner we do that, the sooner the citizens of Harney County can start healing this community they cherish so much.
Thank you.
—
Full statement from U.S. Attorney for Oregon Bill Williams:
Good Morning. My name is Bill Williams, and I am the U.S. Attorney for Oregon. I have been coming to Harney County on behalf of the US Attorney’s Office for the last 15 years.
I am keenly aware of the concerns that are important to this community. I have seen first-hand the passion that folks in this community have for the way of life that is so special. Clearly, this has been disrupted by this armed occupation.
The FBI, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office, OSP, Oregon Sheriff’s Association, and numerous law enforcement agencies from around the state have been working very hard to resolve this situation in a peaceful manner, to stop the threats to public safety, and to end the significant disruption this has caused to the people of this county.
We continue working towards resolution, and will do so with the primary goal of restoring normalcy to this community, and highlighting the already existing cooperative efforts of local and federal partners in addressing their own issues.
There are currently eight people in custody – – seven in Oregon and one in Arizona. They will all make an initial appearance before a federal magistrate today. At some time in the future, the defendant in Arizona will come to Oregon for future court proceedings.
As the FBI announced last night, these eight people were arrested for the federal felony offense of “conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats.”
This is an ongoing investigation, and we will not be commenting on the case, instead we will let the publicly filed documents in the case speak for themselves.
In closing, I want to thank the federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers and agents who are working very well together to support this community and this effort.
I also want to again thank the people of Harney County for their patience…and their passion for returning this community to normalcy.
We will continue working around the clock until this matter is appropriately resolved.
—
The FBI and Oregon State Police said early Wednesday they have “initiated a containment of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in order to better ensure the safety of community members and law enforcement.”
“This decision was made out of an abundance of caution,” the 4:14 a.m. statement said. “We ask you to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the tip line at (541) 573-3162 .”
“The containment procedure involves a series of checkpoints established along key routes into and out of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge,” the statement continued.
Attempts to Travel Into the Refuge
There will be signage ahead of each checkpoint. Anyone who moves beyond that signage will be stopped, identified and asked leave. to Non-compliant people will be subject to arrest.
Leaving the Refuge
Anyone coming out of the refuge will have his or her identification confirmed and any associated vehicles searched.
Resident Ranchers Only
The only people allowed to pass into the checkpoints will be Harney County ranchers who own property in those specific areas. They will be required to show photo ID as they go in and out.
—
Here’s the full text of Oregon State Police and FBI statements Tuesday evening announcing the arrest of seven people and one person shot and killed in the fourth week of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover.
—
FBI rel;ease – 8:51 p.m.
At 8:30 p.m. (PST) on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s Phoenix Division made a probable cause arrest of Jon Eric Ritzheimer, age 32, on a federal charge related to the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon. Ritzheimer turned himself into the Peoria, Arizona, police department. The arrest was without incident.
Ritzheimer faces one federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 372.
The FBI made the Arizona arrest in conjunction with a series of other arrests made by FBI and Oregon State Police in Harney County, Oregon, earlier in the evening. The following individuals also face the same charge:
* Ammon Edward Bundy, age 40, of Emmett, Idaho
* Ryan C. Bundy, age 43, of Bunkerville, Nevada
* Brian Cavalier, age 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada
* Shawna Cox, age 59, Kanab, Utah
* Ryan Waylen Payne, age 32, of Anaconda, Montana
* Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy, age 45, of Cottonwood, Arizona
* Peter Santilli, age 50, of Cincinnati, Ohio
We continue to work with Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward and his deputies and the United States Attorney’s Office to address any further outstanding issues. As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further at this time.
—
FBI UPDATE AS OF 8:40 P.M.
From the initial law enforcement action site along Highway 395: There were additional people who were detained and have since been released.
—
OSP statement issued at 8:15 p.m.:
On January 26, 2016 at approximately 4:30PM, Oregon State Police Troopers were involved in an officer involved shooting during the arrest of several individuals near Burns.
The Deschutes County Major Incident Team will be assisting the Oregon State Police and the Harney County District Attorney’s Office with the investigation. The investigation will be conducted in compliance with Senate Bill 111 which outlines protocols to be followed when deadly physical force is used.
As released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, one adult male suspect is deceased and one other adult male suspect received non-life threatening injuries. No law enforcement personnel were injured.
The incident occurred on Highway 395, about 20 miles north of Burns. Highway 395 is expected to be closed for an extended amount of time for the investigation to be conducted.
—
An 8:10 p.m. update:
The defendant who suffered an injury in the original enforcement action has been treated and released from a local hospital. He is now in FBI custody.
—
A 7:45 p.m. update::
At approximately 6:30 p.m. (PST), the FBI arrested Peter Santilli, age 50, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in Burns, Oregon. He faces the same federal felony charge as the individuals listed below. The arrest was without incident.
—
The initial statement
At approximately 4:25 p.m. (PST) on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Oregon State Police (OSP) began an enforcement action to bring into custody a number of individuals associated with the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. During that arrest, there were shots fired.
One individual who was a subject of a federal probable cause arrest is deceased. We will not be releasing any information about that person pending identification by the medical examiner’s office.
One individual suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He was arrested and is currently in custody.
The arrested individuals include:
* Ammon Edward Bundy, age 40, of Emmett, Idaho
* Ryan C. Bundy, age 43, of Bunkerville, Nevada
* Brian Cavalier, age 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada
* Shawna Cox, age 59, Kanab, Utah
* Ryan Waylen Payne, age 32, of Anaconda, Montana
These probable cause arrests occurred along Highway 395.
In a separate event in Burns, Oregon, at approximately 5:50 pm, Oregon State Police arrested the following individual:
* Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy, age 45, Cottonwood, Arizona
All of the named defendants face a federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 372.
We continue to work with Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward and his deputies; Oregon State Police; and the United States Attorney’s Office to address any further outstanding issues. As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further at this time.
All defendants should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
