Ammon Bundy, Others Arrested, Shots Fired; FBI Official Statement

(Before It’s News)

TND Editor’s Note:  The FBI reports having taken into custody Ammon Bundy and four other individuals.  FBI officers pulled over a vehicle carrying the men and shots were fired.  Separately, another man was arrested at a different location.

Two individuals have been taken to a hospital in Burns.  Oathkeepers is reporting that Ryan Payne suffered multiple gunshot wounds and that Blaine Cooper has assumed leadership of the Refuge stand-off.  The identity of the deceased individual has not been released, but the Portland FBI office has confirmed that it is not Ryan Bundy.  Local media reports that the two hospitalized men do not have life threatening injuries.  Generally, media coverage has a reportage tone suggesting that this standoff is over.  At this time, that is not clear.

Official FBI Release:

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 235.

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.