But it’s unclear if those holed up in the Oregon wildlife refuge will heed Ammon Bundy’s advice.

BURNS, Ore. — A day after eight members of an armed anti-government group were arrested, their jailed leader on Wednesday urged a handful of remaining militants to abandon an Oregon wildlife refuge they have been occupying.

After militant leader Ammon Bundy made his first court appearance in Portland on Wednesday, his attorney, Mike Arnold, read this statement from his client: “Please stand down. Go home and hug your families. This fight is now in the courts.”

It was unclear whether the remnant of Bundy’s followers still holed up at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns was ready to heed his advice.

Meanwhile, details began to emerge about the confrontation Tuesday on a remote highway that resulted in the arrest of Bundy and other leading figures in the group, and in the death of militant Robert “Lavoy” Finicum.

Bundy followers gave conflicting accounts of how Finicum died. One said Finicum charged at FBI agents, who then shot him. A member of the Bundy family said Finicum did nothing to provoke the agents.

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There was no way to confirm the accounts. Authorities refused to release any details about the encounter or even to verify that it was Finicum who was killed.

Also on Wednesday, a federal judge in Portland unsealed a criminal complaint that said the armed group had explosives and night-vision goggles and that they were prepared to fight at the refuge or in the nearby town of Burns.

The group took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Jan. 2.

Bundy and the seven others are charged with felony counts of “conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats.”

Federal officials and Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward held a news conference on Wednesday in which they also called on the rest of the occupiers to go home. There is still a huge law enforcement presence in the region.

FBI agent Greg Bretzing said occupiers could leave through checkpoints “where they will be identified.” He did not say whether any of them face arrest. He said negotiators were available to talk if they have “questions or concerns.”

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Bretzing also defended the FBI-led operation that resulted in the arrest of Bundy and other leaders, and in the death of Finicum. “I will say that the armed occupiers were given ample opportunities to leave peacefully,” he said.

Bundy followers took to social media to offer conflicting accounts of Finicum’s final moments. In a video posted to Facebook, Mike McConnell, a member of the group who was not arrested when the stop took place, said he was driving a vehicle carrying Ammon Bundy and another occupier, Brian Cavalier. He said Finicum was driving a truck and with him were Ryan Bundy – Ammon’s brother – as well as three others. McConnell said the convoy was going through a forest when agents appeared in heavy-duty trucks. He said agents first pulled him out of the vehicle, followed by Ammon Bundy and Cavalier.

But when agents approached the truck driven by Finicum, he drove off with officers in pursuit. McConnell said he did not see what happened next, but he heard from others who were in that vehicle that they encountered a roadblock.

The truck got stuck in a snowbank, and Finicum got out and “charged them. He went after them,” McConnell said.

Relatives of Ammon Bundy offered similar accounts, but they said Finicum did nothing to provoke FBI agents.

Briana Bundy, a sister of Ammon Bundy, said he called his wife after his arrest. He said the group was stopped by state and federal officers.

She said people in the vehicles complied with instructions to get out with their hands up.

“LaVoy shouted, ‘Don’t shoot. We’re unarmed,’ ” Briana Bundy said in an interview. “They began to fire on them. Ammon said it happened real fast.”


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