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FBI releases video of rancher being shot

BURNS, Ore. — A video showing the shooting death of an occupier of an Oregon wildlife refuge appears to show the man reaching into his jacket before he fell into the snow. The FBI said the man had a loaded gun in his pocket.

Authorities played the video shot by the FBI at a Thursday evening news conference, in an apparent effort to counter claims that the man killed in the confrontation Tuesday on a remote Oregon high-country road — Robert “LaVoy” Finicum — did nothing to provoke officers.

The FBI’s release of the footage came as four occupiers remaining at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge refused to leave without assurances they wouldn’t be arrested. The group’s jailed leader, Ammon Bundy, urged them to surrender. The occupation began nearly a month ago.

During the confrontation in which Finicum was killed, the FBI and Oregon State Troopers arrested five main figures in the occupation, including Bundy. Bundy and several of the other occupiers have another federal court hearing scheduled for today.

The video, shot by the FBI from aircraft, shows Bundy’s vehicle stopped by police on a road. He and an occupier riding with him — Brian Cavalier — were arrested. A white truck driven by Finicum was stopped but took off, with officers in pursuit. The video shows Finicum’s vehicle plowing into a snowbank when encountering a roadblock.

A man identified as Finicum gets out of the truck. At first, he has his hands up, but then he appears to reach into his pocket and he falls into the snow.

“On at least two occasions, Finicum appears to reach his right hand toward a pocket on the left inside portion of his jacket,” said Greg Bretzing, special agent in charge for the FBI in Portland.

“He did have a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in the pocket,” he said.

Bretzing also said Finicum’s truck nearly hit an FBI agent before it got stuck in the snow.

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