The Ruby Ridge Siege: The History of the Federal Government’s Deadly Standoff with Randy Weaver and His Family

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures*Includes accounts of the standoff by federal agents and members of the Weaver family*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading*Includes a table of contents“The Subcommittee is […] concerned that, as Marshals investigating the Weaver case learned facts that contradicted information they previously had been provided, they did not adequately integrate their updated knowledge into their overall assessment of who Randy Weaver was or what threat he might pose.” – Excerpt from a report by the Senate Judiciary CommitteeIn the summer of 1992, federal agents surrounded a few acres of land isolated in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, where Randy Weaver, his wife Vicki, his 14 year old son Samuel, and his three young daughters were staying. Weaver was a former Green Beret who had come to the attention of the ATF and other federal agencies for a number of reasons, including associations with white supremacist groups and the possession of illegal shotguns. After being arrested and released on bail in 1991, Weaver failed to appear in court when necessary and was thus treated as a fugitive, bringing in the involvement of U.S. Marshals. For the rest of that year, attempts to bring in Weaver were rebuffed, and Weaver threatened to shoot anyone who came to his cabin to bring him in.After a number of reconnaissance efforts and operations to arrest Weaver took place in 1992, federal agents from the U.S. Marshal Service and FBI surrounded the area on August 21 and wound up engaging in a firefight that ended in the deaths of 14 year old Samuel, one of the family dogs, and Marshal Bill Degan, who was shot by Weaver’s friend Kevin Harris. In the aftermath of the shooting, Randy and Vicki brought Samuel’s body to a shed near their main cabin, and they remained inside with Harris for the rest of the day.On August 22, the federal agents were given new rules of engagement that were much more lax when it came to authorizing the use of deadly force. Instead of using the standard FBI policy that authorized deadly force to prevent suffering grievous harm as a method of self-defense, the agents, including snipers, were given the green light to shoot Randy and Kevin Harris if they were carrying weapons, regardless of whether they were actually targeting the federal agents. They were also authorized to shoot any adult after they surrendered if they were carrying a weapon.Before negotiators could even reach the scene on the 22nd, an FBI sniper shot Randy in the back as he headed towards the shed where his son’s body lay. As Randy, his 16 year old daughter Sara, and Harris headed back for cover in the cabin, the same sniper fired a shot at Harris’ chest, which wounded him but also struck and killed Vicki, who was standing behind the cabin door holding her 10 month old daughter.Ultimately, it would be several more days before negotiators talked Harris and the Weaver family into surrendering, but the recriminations were just starting. Due to the way the operations were handled, Harris would end up being acquitted of all charges, and Weaver was acquitted of every charge except those involving his refusal to show up in court. Meanwhile, Ruby Ridge severely shook confidence in the way federal law enforcement operated, leading to investigations and reforms. Just as importantly, in addition to influencing how the government approached potential future conflicts with other groups, Ruby Ridge’s most important legacy was that it enraged people who already had an anti-government bent. The most notable, of course, was Timothy McVeigh, who conducted what was at the time the deadliest terrorist attack in American history in Oklahoma City in April 1995 and cited Ruby Ridge as a motive.The Ruby Ridge The History of the Federal Government’s Deadly Standoff with Randy Weaver and His Family chronicles the controversial event and the influence it had on subsequent events like Waco and the Oklahoma City bombing.

52 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2015

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't remember much about this because back in those days, if you missed the news, you didn't know what happened unlike nowadays. The narrator could have been a little better in delivery but I can't complain. I don't have opinion about what happened, I listened more just to know what happened as I do know people talk Ruby Ridge but I just didn't know why.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Close but no cigar.

While I find this book interesting. I think some of it is a whitewash or icing kind of leans towards the government and trying to disallow what they did. Even in its own later statements towards the end of the book and the statements by the FBI agents and all of those involved was shown that they lied they covered up. And some flat out probably did commit criminal offenses. It seems that a whole lot of people were covering themselves up and hoping that they would be believed just because they were federal agents and you have to believe everything they tell you even though the facts show that it's not true. I give it a three rating because at the end I think it does kind of tell the whole story or a lot of the whole story. I think the most telling thing in it without a doubt is the fact that the defense team did not put on a case they took the prosecution apart in their own words. Even the judge amount of admonished the prosecution for their actions there was a whole lot of cover up there that we may never know it will never know the whole true story everybody sees it their own way. But I do think this is the start of a couple of tragedies that could have been avoided if the federal government didn't think that they could get away with anything and everything by just saying it over and over and over. Just because the federal government thinks or the people in control thinks that they can get away with anything they will try to do that. It wasn't a bad read but it needs to be read all the way through so you get to the real facts. And I think it missed out on a lot of stuff like the forensic reports that came back from the FBI about to fire fight that happened and how it happened and tell you the truth I believe the Weavers and Harris is more than I believe the federal government

[Toni Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great synopsis

This short book is a great read. The actions of the Federal government needs remembered for what happened here. I'm afraid it will happen again.

[Andrew Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing!

It just goes to show that with all the sophistication at the disposal of the USA and it's law enforcement that they can monumentally get it wrong from start to finish.