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Last hours of Oregon armed standoff play out online for listeners

Posted at 3:40 PM, Feb 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-11 15:40:47-05

(AP) – The last armed occupiers of an Oregon wildlife refuge shouted, laughed and prayed for tens of thousands to hear online as they negotiated with authorities and spoke with supporters.

An open phone line broadcast on YouTube gave a glimpse into the final hours of the nearly six-week-long standoff. The four holdouts surrendered Thursday, having refused to leave Malheur National Wildlife Refuge after the group’s leaders were arrested last month.

The call was streamed live by an acquaintance of David Fry, who yelled rambling tirades and threats against the government. Fry’s friend and a Nevada lawmaker are among those who tried to calm him and the others.

Between Wednesday night and Thursday, Fry spoke about marijuana and holding a gun to his head, while other occupiers raised concerns about getting killed by authorities who surrounded them.