Shots fired during arrest of 7 Oregon militia members, including leader Ammon Bundy, north of wildlife refuge — at least one dead

Ammon Bundy and four members of his armed Oregon militia were arrested during a traffic stop that erupted in gunfire, killing one person north of the occupied wildlife refuge, federal agents said.

Bundy’s brother, Ryan Bundy, is among those in custody. Ryan Payne, Shawna Cox and Bundy’s personal body guard, Brian Cavalier, were also arrested on federal felony charges of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties.

The five, none of whom are residents of Oregon, were apprehended while en route to a community meeting north of Burns, where a shooting was also reported along Highway 395 between Burns and John Day.

It’s unclear who was behind the gunfire and who was injured.

An unidentified person was killed and a second person among those arrested was wounded with non-life threatening during the incident, according to the FBI statement.
RICK BOWMER/AP, KEITH RIDLER/AP
Ryan Bundy, left, and his brother, Ammon, were among those arrested Tuesday night. The brothers are the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy.


Oregon State police close part of Highway 395 in Seneca, Ore., Tuesday.

Judge Steve Grasty, whose opposition to the armed group was made clear in community meetings, heralded Tuesday’s arrests as the end of the armed occupation.

“I am relieved this situation is coming to an end,” Grasty said in a statement. “However, I am saddened by the loss of life. I hope and pray that those who remain at the Refuge will stand down peacefully.”

It’s unclear what led to the traffic stop, but in a statement, the FBI and Oregon State Police described the incident as an “enforcement action.”

Two more people associated with the armed militia were arrested in separate incidents following the mass arrests. Peter Santilli, a right-wing activist who live-streamed the going-ons at the militia headquarters, was apprehended at 6:30 p.m. while Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy was taken into custody at 5:50 p.m. in Burns.

Santilli streamed video outside a hospital shortly after the traffic stop took place, but his camera continued to roll even after his arrest.
ROB KERR (AFP/GETTY)
Brian Cavalier, Ammon Bundy's personal body guard, and Shawna Cox, were among five people arrested during a traffic stop north of Burns on Tuesday night.

The camera was later wielded by a crying woman who took the streaming device into a motel room stocked with boxes of bottled water at around 8 p.m.

“You know what’s really strange, everyone? I don’t even know what to say,” the unidentified woman said.

A man also in the room was heard saying “Today was a tragic day.”

“And the thing is, it’s not over yet,” he said.
LES ZAITZ/THE OREGONIAN VIA AP, FACEBOOK
Ryan Payne, left, and Joe Shaugnessy, right, were also arrested Tuesday.

The circumstances behind Santilli and O'Shaughnessy’s arrests are not clear, but both men face the same charges as those arrested during the traffic stop.

A nearby hospital was put under lockdown following the shooting.

Bundy and his brothers led the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Jan. 2 following a rally in defense of two cattle ranchers convicted of arson.

This is a developing story and will be updated.