The standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge dwindled Thursday to four holdouts as the occupation’s leaders began preparing for their next battle, this one in court.
Attorneys for Ammon Bundy launched a crowdfunding campaign Thursday aimed at raising $100,000 for his legal defense as he renewed his call for those remaining at the occupied federal wildlife refuge to surrender.
“My message still remains. Turn yourselves in and do not use physical force,” Mr. Bundy said in a statement on the Arnold Law website.
Just four of the several dozen who seized the unoccupied headquarters building in a Jan. 2 protest against federal lands’ policy remained at the refuge.
Oregon Public Broadcasting identified them as Sean and Sandra Anderson, a married couple, of Riggins, Idaho; Jeff Banta of Elko, Nevada; and David Fry of Blanchester, Ohio.
“We all want to leave,” Sandy Anderson told OPB. “We’re here, and we’re worried we’re going to die.”
The holdouts said they were negotiating terms of their surrender with the FBI. A sticking point was what they said was a felony warrant for Mr. Anderson’s arrest on a federal conspiracy charge.
“So we’re just asking them just to drop the charges and we’re just willing to go. And nobody dies,” said a man in a video identified by The Oregonian as Mr. Fry. “But if they’re not willing to do that, we’re all just kind of willing to stay here and see what happens.
“Are they really going to kill five people?” he asked.
A roadside clash Tuesday resulted in the arrests of five occupiers, including Mr. Bundy, and the death of one man. The FBI has not released his name, but family and friends have identified him as 55-year-old Robert “LaVoy” Finicum.
A total of 11 occupiers have been arrested: eight on Tuesday in three separate events and three Wednesday afternoon as they left the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and hit FBI checkpoints surrounding the region.
“All were in contact with the FBI, and each chose to turn himself in to agents at a checkpoint outside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge,” said the FBI statement. “The arrests were without incident.”
Five people were released as they attempted to leave the area, according to the statement.
The three people arrested Wednesday were charged with the same felony count as the others: conspiracy to impede officers of the United States through the use of force, intimidation or threats, which carries a maximum sentence of six years’ imprisonment.
Those arrested Wednesday were identified as Dylan Wade Anderson, 34, of Provo, Utah; Duane Leo Ehmer, 45, of Irrigon, Oregon; and Jason S. Patrick, 43, of Bonaire, Georgia.
Ammon Bundy’s wife, Lisa Bundy, added her voice to those urging the militants to leave peacefully in an audio recording posted on the Arnold Law website. She said her husband “wants people to go home to their families.”
The account on the Funded Justice established by Arnold Law says any funds raised will be used for “legal fees and bail.”
“Hopefully, he will get released and get back to work to raise his own money,” said the description on the page “Ammon Bundy — Legal Defense Fund.”
At his arraignment Wednesday in Portland, Ammon Bundy asked the rest of the occupiers to “stand down” in a message read by his attorney Mike Arnold, as shown on KOIN-TV.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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