The FBI has confirmed that leader of the Burns, Ore. armed standoff Ammon Bundy and brother Ryan were arrested this afternoon along with several other militia members en route to a community meeting in John Day, 70 miles away.
FBI and Oregon State police “began an enforcement action” with a traffic stop, gunfire was exchanged. Ryan Bundy was winged and at least two men were rushed to the hospital.
One of them, who the FBI has so far declined to indentify, died. “One individual who was a subject of a federal probable cause arrest is deceased,” the agency press release explained.
The FBI did list the names of the men arrested and not deceased. In addition to the Bundy brothers, the alleged standoffers include: * Brian Cavalier, age 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada * Shawna Cox, age 59, Kanab, Utah * Ryan Waylen Payne, age 32, of Anaconda, Montana
Not long after the traffic stop, police in Burns picked up one Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy, age 45, of Cottonwood, Arizona. The FBI has also confirmed that it arrested Pete Santilli, an independent journalist sympathetic to the Bundys.
The Bundys were well away from the folks still armed and hunkered down at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge when the arrest was made. The government has not yet attempted a raid. Jason Patrick, a remaining occupiers at the refuge said Tuesday night, “We’re all standing here, ready to defend our peaceful resolution.”
This story will be updated.
