The FBI took control of efforts to pacify the Oregon militia on Monday, after the group seized a federal building on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The agency stated late Sunday it is "working with the Harney County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, and other local and state law enforcement agencies," according to CBS.
Armed, self-styled militiamen, including members of the Bundy family, seized a building on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday in protest of the treatment of two ranchers who were ordered back to prison in October after having served short sentences due to arson convictions.
Authorities say no one has been hurt. Citing safety, however, the FBI has not been forthcoming about the details of the agency's involvement. "Due to safety considerations for both those inside the refuge as well as the law enforcement officers involved, we will not be releasing any specifics with regards to the law enforcement response," said the FBI in a statement according to Al Jazeera America.
Dwight and Steven Hammond were found guilty of setting two fires - one in 2001 and another in 2006 - to reduce the growth of invasive plants and protect their own property from forest fires. Convicted of arson in 2012, the father and son served one year and 3 month terms respectively. In October of 2015, an appellate judge ruled that the terms were too lenient regarding federal minimum sentencing laws.
Their community of ranchers feel the judge's orders were unjust: "The end goal here is that we are here to restore the rights to the people here so that they can use the land and resources. All of them," said Ryan Bundy, according to Fox News.
The Bundy family is well known for their "don't tread on me" attitude. Cliven Bundy, the family's patriarch, led a similar armed standoff with federal agents in Nevada in 2014.
