The US Department of Justice on Tuesday announced that it would be investigating the FBI team responsible for the agents who failed to report their shooting.
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At least initially, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents didn’t disclose to authorities reviewing the incident that they had opened fire at all, according to sources.
“Of particular concern to all of us is that the HRT operators did not disclose their shots to our investigators or their superiors”, Sheriff Nelson said.
A newly synced video of the confrontation shows Finicum with his hands in the air before apparently reaching for something in his jacket, at which point an officer can be seen opening fire.
One of the FBI agents allegedly lied about firing twice on Finicum, who was shot to death in the course of an attempted arrest related to the militia’s occupation of federal land. Finicum, 54, died after he was hit in the back by three of the shots fired by the state police.
Relatives of Finicum, who was a spokesman for the group that seized buildings at the refuge, have previously said that he posed no threat to police during the confrontation and have rejected official assertions that he was armed at the time.
As Finicum stood in the snow, authorities told him multiple times to lie on the ground and surrender.
“You back down or you kill me now”, Finicum shouted at law enforcement before fleeing.
Finicum then asks his passengers if they want to get out of his truck, but they don’t seem to understand why. Investigators said they were afraid for their and their families’ well being.
At a press conference Tuesday, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office released a slew of details, including additional video of Finicum from inside his truck and pictures of evidence collected at the scene.
A county prosecutor on Tuesday released the results of an investigation into the death of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum. Officers said he appeared to reach for his left pocket, where investigators said they found a loaded Ruger SR9 semi-automatic pistol that had been a gift from his stepson.
However, because the team members did not volunteer that a weapon or weapons had been fired, they are now being investigated by U.S. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
The occupation of part of the federal wildlife refuge ended peacefully February 11 when the last four occupiers surrendered to authorities.
“All six shots fired by the Oregon State Police, the three into the truck and the three that struck Mr. Finicum, are justified”, Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris said in a statement, the Oregonian reported.
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More than two dozen occupiers and activists with ties to the stand-off have been charged with conspiracy to interfere with federal workers.
