title:  Oregon Militant’s Family Doesn’t Believe He Had A Gun (VIDEO)
text: On January 29, the family of LaVoy Finicum released a three page statement questioning the FBI s narrative of his death. While there s no doubt Finicum s family would like to remember him as a  hero  and a  martyr,  the difference between what actually happened and the fantasy-filled version of events outlined in the statement is both sad and scary.LaVoy Finicum was a member of an armed group of militants who seized control of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon earlier this month.On January 26, more than three weeks after the group first seized control of the federal property, authorities apprehended seven of the militiamen. Finicum was shot by FBI agents after he reached for a weapon, while attempting to escape arrest.Video of the shooting, taken from a helicopter which hoovered above the scene, was released by the FBI a short time after Finicum was shot.The video evidence destroys the narrative being pressed by right-wing extremists, who claimed Finicum was  gunned down in cold blood, while on his knees, with his hands in the air. Thanks to The Oregonian, we can see exactly what happened in the moments leading up to LaVoy Finicum s death.The video below shows the crucial moments from the FBI s footage slowed down and magnified. There is no doubt that Finicum went for a gun.Finicum s single  moment in the sun  came earlier this month, when he was interviewed by MSNBC s Tony Dokoupil at the Malheur refuge.During the interview, an armed Finicum told Dokoupil that he had no intention of allowing authorities to arrest him. Watch the interview here.In spite of an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary, the three page statement released by the family of LaVoy Finicum attempts to portray Finicum as an innocent victim of the evil government. They blame everyone except the criminals   from the FBI to Oregon governor Kate Brown   for Finicum s death.The family claims that authorities were  not patient enough  with the militants. That s in spite of the fact that the armed group was allowed to remain at the refuge, unimpeded, for nearly a month. Over that time period, they were given warning after warning, and provided with every opportunity to leave. They continued to break the law and threaten the community.The statement also claims that a  peaceful solution was in the works. The first observation is that from what we understand, the occupation was on track toward a peaceful resolution. LaVoy and those he was with were en route to a public meeting in an adjoining county when they were stopped in something far different than a routine traffic stop,  as has been portrayed by the media. Unfortunately, the powers that be were not interested in being patient enough for the occupation to come to a peaceful end. Again, the truth contradicts this statement.In this video, posted to his own YouTube account on January 22, Finicum assured his followers that the group was not  getting ready to capitulate.  He went on to say  Rest assured, we are not getting ready to leave,  and  for those of you who are worried that we are about ready to negotiate with the FBI, that is not the case. That is not going to happen. The militants were also not on their way to any ordinary public meeting when they were apprehended by the FBI. They were on their way to hold a secretive mock trial of public officials, known within the sovereign citizens movement as a Citizen s Grand Jury. In other words, the threat the group presented to the residents of Harney County was escalating, not  being resolved  as the statement claims.But of all the fantasy-based ideas presented in the letter, the one that stands out the most is this: The FBI claims that LaVoy had a loaded firearm in an inside pocket of his coat. After re-reviewing the extended video, at this point we are not accepting at face value the FBI s statement that LaVoy was actually armed. At no point during the group s occupation of the Federal Wildlife Refuge was LaVoy Finicum not armed.He holstered a .45 caliber pistol to his side and slept with a shotgun on his lap.We know from his own public statements that he had no intention of being arrested alive.While Finicum s family is undoubtedly grieving his loss, the facts remain unchanged. The man was neither a martyr, a hero nor an innocent victim. He was not killed in cold blood by the FBI.Here s the family s statement, via Fox 13.Finicum Family Statement 1.29.2016G*Featured image credit: video screen capture LaVoy Finicum on youtube