Hands Up.  Just Shoot!
Witness says feds killed Finicum with hands in the air.

By Jeff Knox

[Update: Subsequent to the publication of this article, the FBI released aerial observation video of the stop in which LaVoy Finicum was killed.  Without audio, and from a distance, it is impossible to tell exactly what happened, but what is clear is that Finicum drove away after being stopped, then crashed into a snowbank next to a roadblock a mile or so up the road.  Finicum can be seen exiting the vehicle with his hands held high, but as he is confronted by an officer, he appears to reach suddenly into his jacket, upon which he is shot by an officer coming out of the trees.  Some are suggesting that Finicum’s “furtive moves” were actually a response to being shot, while others insist that he was clearly reaching for a gun.  Finicum was known to carry a pistol in a shoulder rig on that side, and to me, it looks like he is attempting to get at that gun, but I would like to see ground video with audio.  All reports are that Finicum was very agitated from the initial stop, and there was apparently concern about passengers in his truck, particularly the 18-year old girl, Victoria Sharp, being placed in danger by any confrontation.  It is quite possible that Finicum had determined not to be taken alive, and had exited the truck with his hands up as a way of getting away from the “non-combatants” before engaging the officers.  We’ll never know for sure.  

Under the law, the actions of the officers involved will be judged by the immediate circumstances, not the larger issues leading to those circumstances.  This was an unneccessary death, and I don’t think any of this has helped the cause of liberty or helped to bring justice to the Hammond family.  Perhaps it will help to bring attention to the growing stress between citizens, states, and federal land managers.  —  JAK]

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