An Occupation In Eastern Oregon

Live Updates: Oregon Occupation Ends Peacefully

By Bradley W. Parks (OPB), John Rosman (OPB) and OPB Staff (OPB)
Feb. 11, 2016 1 p.m.

12:30 p.m.: Harney County Sheriff David Ward and the FBI called a press conference, where they are expected give more details about and reactions to the end of the occupation. The press conference will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Leaders across the state and region have released statements as news of the occupation's end spread.

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11:02 a.m.: After 41 days, an armed occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge came to a conclusion Thursday morning. David Fry was the last occupant to surrender, speaking with negotiators for over an hour about his viewpoints of the occupation, religion, America as a whole and more.

The Associated Press is reporting that Cliven Bundy has been charged with assault, conspiracy for 2014 standoff near his Nevada ranch.

David Fry is the last remaining occupant inside the refuge. The other three militants have already surrendered to authorities. Fry is currently refusing to leave. He is saying his grievances have yet to be heard.

"I declare war against federal government," Fry said. "There's no way to beat this anymore. Liberty or death."

Gavin Seim is live streaming a phone call with militants inside the Malheur refuge. They are speaking with Nevada State Rep. Michele Fiore who says her and Rev. Franklin Graham are approaching the refuge with three FBI agents.

Last night, occupiers agreed to leave the refuge if Graham and Fiore were allowed to accompany them.

OPB also confirmed Thursday morning that Blaine Cooper, a key member of the occupation who later fled, was arrested by authorities. "You don't have any idea what we're going through," said his wife Melissa Cooper.

Seim's live stream offers a window into the negotiations taking place between occupants and officials.

Militants are on edge as they prepare to possibly surrender. "If they double cross, all deals are off," said armed occupier Sean Anderson. He added that the four remaining militants are currently unarmed and plan to stay unarmed.


 Possible Surrender: The four remaining occupiers at the wildlife refuge said they would surrender to the FBI Thursday morning.

Occupier Sean Anderson said the four will set their weapons aside and turn themselves in at 8 a.m. if Nevada state Assemblywoman Michele Fiore meets them at the gates of the refuge. Fiore agreed to that plan during a conversation with the militants streamed live online Wednesday night.

Fiore, who has a relationship with the Bundy family, landed at the Portland airport earlier in the evening.

Related Content: Live Updates From Day 40 Of The Occupation

A possible resolution to the 41-day occupation came after a night of often tense negotiations between militants, the FBI, Fiore and others.

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The FBI has not confirmed the Thursday morning surrender will take place.

OPB learned that militant David Fry’s increasingly erratic behavior caused the FBI to surround the compound Wednesday evening.

Law enforcement said in a press release they saw one occupier drive an ATV outside barricades established by the militants. An official speaking on background confirmed that person was Fry.

The FBI also said agents attempted to approach Fry when he passed the barricade, but Fry sped back toward the militants’ camp.

Occupiers later placed a call to media personality Gaven Seim, who has posted YouTube videos throughout the occupation in support of the militants. Seim streamed the call live online.

The occupiers could be heard screaming at the FBI and each other throughout the call.

The streamed call at one point reached nearly 70,000 viewers.

Militants grew aware of their large audience as the night went on. They ranted about subjects ranging from Common Core to Hillary Clinton and Obamacare.

Fry, Anderson, his wife Sandy Anderson, and Jeff Banta have all been indicted on federal conspiracy charges as a result of the refuge takeover.

Cliven Bundy Arrested: Around 11 p.m. Wednesday, law enforcement detained Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy at the Portland airport. He's the father of occupant leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy, who remain in Multnomah County Jail. It is unknown how the move might affect negotiations with militants.

Cliven Bundy will make an initial appearance in federal court in Portland today at 1:30 p.m. Bundy told OPB earlier in the week that he planned to come to Portland to bring attention to his two sons being held in jail, but didn’t want to publicize the date he planned to arrive.

Ammon Bundy's lawyer, Mike Arnold of Arnold Law in Eugene, said he was surprised law enforcement moved on Cliven Bundy.

"I'm wondering who's in charge," Arnold said. "I'm sort of in frustrated disbelief right now that there's someone in the federal government right now who thought it was a good idea to arrest Cliven Bundy while (Nevada State Rep.) Michele Fiore was negotiating for the stand down at the refuge."

Bundy was detained under a U.S. Marshal hold and is facing federal charges. Bundy is expected to appear in federal court in Portland Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

Refuge Remains Quiet Overnight: While there were heated negotiations Wednesday night, the early hours of Thursday morning remained cold and quiet.

From the FBI checkpoint on the road leading to the wildlife refuge, there was no sign that plans for the militants to surrender at 8 a.m. Thursday had changed.

However, online discussion of the refuge occupation did continue through the night.

Around 4 a.m. Thursday morning, famed evangelist Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, posted on his Facebook that he was traveling to Burns to help negotiate an end to the standoff.

"Last night I was on the phone with (the occupiers) for several hours, was able to have prayer with them, and they have said they would come out today," Graham wrote. "I am on my way there and hope to be there by 7:00 AM their time."

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