Portland, Ore. – According to a statement released Tuesday by the FBI, an investigation conducted by the Tri-County Major Incident Team determined that the OSP troopers that fired on LaVoy Finicum were under clear and present danger. The FBI says because of that danger, OSP officers were justified in using deadly force.
The investigation concluded that three shots were fired by OSP troopers as Finicum’s vehicle sped toward a law enforcement barricade. OSP troopers reportedly fired three additional shots that struck and killed Finicum as he reached for his weapon after exiting his vehicle.
The county’s investigation shows that in between the series of shots fired by OSP troopers, one or two additional shots were fired by law enforcement officers as Finicum was exiting his vehicle after running off the road. An autopsy revealed that none of those shots stuck Finicum.
According to the investigation, the shots were not disclosed by any officers, and the source of the shots has not yet been determined. The FBI says, because of the presence of FBI agents on the scene, the United States Department of Justice is currently investigating the matter.
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