The Oregon standoff finally came to a conclusion after 41 days of occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Following a rather dramatic exchange between the militants and FBI agents, the last four protesters surrendered Thursday morning.
After 41 days, the #OregonStandoff is finally over https://t.co/AsaFF8Qj1d pic.twitter.com/cz46a0JSuY
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) February 11, 2016
At one point, one of the four holdouts refused to follow his comrades and continued conducting the Oregon standoff by his lonesome.
The last holdout named David Fry initially insisted that he would not leave before airing his grievances about religion, occupation, America, and even marijuana.
Last #Oregonstandoff occupiers have been booked into Multnomah County Jail #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/kLTB2ZdiaR
— KATU News (@KATUNews) February 12, 2016
“I declare war against federal government,” said Fry from inside the refuge. “There’s no way to beat this anymore. Liberty or death.”
After more than an hour speaking with negotiators, Fry emerged from the refuge and entered the custody of authorities.
“I heard hallelujahs from the SWAT team. I heard hallelujahs in unison from an entire building that was watching that, hoping to God they could get everybody out alive,” said Harney County sheriff Dave Ward.
David Fry, 27, an Oregon occupier, talked of suicide as sympathizers implored him to leave https://t.co/mz4kX3LQnK pic.twitter.com/e7WdGi7c1i
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 12, 2016
A video of the surrender has been uploaded on YouTube, and shows supporters of the protest coaxing Fry to come out of the refuge and give up to the police.
Just hours before the protesters emptied the refuge, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy was arrested in Portland. The 69-year-old Bundy, whose son Ammon spearheaded the Oregon standoff over cattle grazing rights, previously announced on Facebook that he was heading over to Burns, Oregon to join the militiamen.
Multnomah County releases Cliven Bundy’s jail mug shot #OregonStandoff https://t.co/eVKUECeDIC pic.twitter.com/cysFcjSKfc
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) February 11, 2016
As a result of the Oregon standoff, the elder Bundy was charged with a slew of offenses, including assault on a federal officer, conspiracy, and other weapons-related counts.
Before his Oregon standoff surrender, 27-year-old Fry admitted to authorities that he was having suicidal thoughts and allegedly even held a gun to his head. He was also said to have demanded pizza and marijuana, both of which were not granted.