Ammon Bundy.
Rick Bowmer / AP
Ammon Bundy, the leader of an armed group who took over an Oregon wildlife refuge and led a tense standoff with law enforcement for 24 days has been taken into custody, multiple reports said.
Law enforcement officers stopped the group Tuesday while on their way to a community meeting more than 100 miles away from the refuge, CNN reported, leading to an exchange of gunfire. It was not immediately known if anyone was injured.
Bundy and some of his supporters were on their way from the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to a public meeting in John Day, where they were expected to meet with members of the community regarding the occupation.
Bundy and several of his supporters have been occupying the federal building in Burns, Oregon, since Jan. 2 in support of two local ranchers who were about to be incarcerated. But Bundy and a faction of the protesters headed to the refuge for an armed occupation, leading to a tense standoff between the group and law enforcement.
Tensions in the community also led several local residents to leave town until the situation diffused.
Law enforcement authorities took mostly to interacting with the group and its leaders through intermediaries until last week, when Bundy met with FBI agents stationed in the town.
Bundy met last week with FBI agents stationed near the refuge, and began speaking with a negotiator over the phone.
A reporter with the Oregonian also reported the highway between the town of Burns and John Day was being blocked by authorities.
Travel between the two towns was not allowed.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1QBaK3j
No comments:
Post a Comment