Last hours of armed standoff play out online for listeners
The end of a nearly six-week-long standoff at an Oregon wildlife refuge played out live on the Internet, with tens of thousands of people listening as supporters encouraged the last armed occupiers to surrender.
An open phone line broadcast on YouTube gave a glimpse into the final hours of the standoff, with the four remaining occupiers shouting, laughing and praying.
The 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 on a cellphone from a cot inside a tent.
The group, also made up of Jeff Banta of Nevada and Idaho married couple Sean and Sandy Anderson, had previously been posting updates to a YouTube channel called Defend Your Base.
Federal authorities moved in Wednesday night, surrounding the holdouts with armored vehicles, saying it "became necessary to take action" to ensure the safety of all involved.