Randy Weaver, the Man who Fought Federal Agents at Ruby Ridge, has Died, According to Montana-Resident Daughter
Weaver, an Iowan who moved to North Idaho with his family in the 1980s, became a household name in August 1992
Randy Weaver, the (alleged) white supremacist who became a hero of the modern militia movement after an 11-day standoff with federal agents at Ruby Ridge, has died.
The 74-year-old died Wednesday, according to a Facebook post from Weaver’s daughter, Sara Weaver.
Sara Weaver, who lives in Marion, Montana, didn’t share details about her father’s death and couldn’t be reached for comment. The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, which doubles as the coroner’s office, said it had no information on Weaver. Logan Health Medical Center, the region’s largest hospital, did not answer questions about whether he was a patient.
Weaver, an Iowan who moved to North Idaho with his family in the 1980s, became a household name in August 1992.
U.S. marshals attempted to arrest him after he failed to appear in court to face charges for manufacturing and possessing illegal shotguns. Weaver refused to surrender and holed up in the family’s cabin atop Ruby Ridge, near Naples in Boundary County.
On Aug. 21, six marshals surveilling Weaver’s cabin ran into him, his 14-year-old son, Sammy, and friend Kevin Harris. The encounter led to a shootout and the deaths of U.S. Deputy Marshal William Degan and Sammy Weaver.
Hundreds of federal agents flocked to the remote site following the incident and the 11-day siege began.
Violence continued on Aug. 22 when FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi shot and killed Weaver’s wife, Vicki Weaver.
“It was a tragedy on both sides,” said Tony Stewart, one of the founding members of the Kootenai County Human Rights Task Force on Human Relations. “There were no winners.”
The standoff captivated the nation. Millions of Americans watched the event unfold on TV and in print until it ended on Aug. 31. Weaver was arrested and taken to Boise, while his daughters went to live with relatives.
The federal government charged Weaver and Harris with a list of crimes, including Degan’s murder, but a jury in 1993 acquitted the men of virtually all charges. Weaver was only convicted on two minor gun counts.
The Justice Department disciplined 12 federal agents for their actions at Ruby Ridge, and the agency in 1995 paid Weaver $3.1 million for the deaths of his wife and son…. to continue reading, click here
Editor’s Note. This article was written by Colin Tiernan and published at the Spokesman. We added the ‘alleged’ word.
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