Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Federal Interrior Department, Donald J. Trump Officer, Shoots Female Nurse, Off-Roading Citizen

OFF ROAD LIVES MATTER 
Original 2018 Report; 2019 Update Federal BLM Uses Deadly Force on unarmed Off-Roader

 
By: Network Editor
Off-Roading Adventure Turns Into A Nightmare
KMIR Reporting: "What was supposed to be a fun day off-roading, turning into a complete nightmare when a officer with the Bureau of Land Management shot at a pair of riders.  Mulitiple shots were fired after officers claim the off-roaders failed to stop, but the riders are telling a much different story and are demanding answers.“What I remember the most was the blood, the blood…she had blood everywhere,” said Pedro Mejia, the driver of the Razor. Blood dripped down his wife’s face after she was shot by an officer who allegedly felt threatened.“The first thing my husband did was say we’re stopping, we’re stopping. And I immediately put my hands up too, and right after I raised my hand in the air is when he fire the shot,” said Denise Mejia, who was grazed by the bullet in the head and was shot in the hand. Denise and Pedro Mejia were only planning on ;going off-roading during the day, but their off-roading adventure took a dark turn when they got a flat tire. “My razor got no rear tire, I mean completely broken and all of a sudden these two vehicles turn on their lights and zoomed in,” said Pedro.They came to a stop, put their hands up, and shots were fired.“I remember my wife just screaming I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die,” he said with a quiver in his voice.The Bureau of Land Management claims the victims didn’t stop and were actually off-roading in a restricted area. “They didn’t say anything. They didn’t tell us to stop. In fact, we were the only once that were talking,” said Denise.Pedro also said there was no warning or signs up signs up in that area. He did pass by a sign that said “four-wheel-drive recommended.” He also adds, that he and his wife, in no way threatened the officers.“All we had was an ice chest cooler,no alcohol, we had a metal detector, we had a gun in the vehicle, it’s for coyotes, but it was tucked awayWhich is why the couple is so confused and demand answers.“It’s really an emotional rollercoaster. We are happy to be alive and can say that we are still with our family but at the same time we are confused about why everything happened,” said Denise.Denise is now recovering from hand surgery and 15 staples on her head. The couple has yet to get their personal belongings back, including their driver’s license and bank cards. However, no charges have been filed. KMIR reached out to the Riverside County Sheriff’s office and they refuse to share additional details on the ongoing investigation."
 
https://kmir.com/2018/06/13/off-roading-adventure-turns-into-a-nightmare/


One of the most disturbing details of this case is the assertion by the investigating BLM officer that (knowingly or unknowingly) going outside of designated off-roading boundaries is sufficient justification for shooting an unarmed citizen.

Conservative leaders in Congress have been trying for years to pass legislation that would demilitarize federal agencies and properly give law enforcement powers back to local agencies such as sheriff’s departments and state patrol agencies. In 2017, former Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R. UT) unsuccessfully attempted to pass legislation that would strip all law enforcement powers from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service. Most recently, Senator Mike Lee (R. UT) held a hearing in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources addressing the ongoing abysmal record of abuse, aggression, overreach and coverups by law enforcement within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and sister agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and Fish & Wildlife Service. The hearing highlighted particularly egregious acts which have occurred at the hands of BLM law enforcement manager Dan Love, and under the direction of William Woody (current BLM OLES Director) and Salvatore Lauro (former BLM OLES Director). Since Senator Lee’s meeting there have been at least two incidents in which BLM officers have used deadly force against citizens. 

Since just the first of this year, federal law enforcement agents have been involved in a series of deadly encounters which include:January 5: Forest Service officer kills unarmed man found on highway following car crash in Kansas. May 27: BLM officer kills man in Colorado desert during shootout. June 10: BLM officer shoots off-roader in California for “failure to submit to investigation”. This most recent incident resulted when some off-roaders in California simply strayed outside of designated boundaries on BLM-managed lands. 

It is alarming not just because there was no clear crime, but because the BLM agent resorted so quickly to deadly force against an unarmed citizen who posed no threat to him. KMIR reports: An officer with BLM or the Bureau of Land Management officer shot a woman who was off roading on Berdoo Canyon off of Dillon Road. Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators responded Sunday at 11 p.m. but were in the remote canyon most of the day Monday. “The preliminary investigation revealed at this time that the Bureau of Land Management officers responded to assist the Joshua Tree National Park Service ranger … with an illegal off roading failure to yield investigation,” said RSO Investigator Armado Muñoz. He says they were trying to get the off roaders to stop, “A Bureau of Land Management officer attempted to stop the off road vehicle and an officer involved shooting occurred at that time,” he said that adding the female hurt was a passenger, “adult female that was in the off road vehicle was injured as a result of the shooting and transported to a local hospital for treatment of the non life threatening injuries that she suffered and a male adult was also detained at the scene.” A friend of the victim who did not want to be identified tells KMIR the couple was riding a side by side off road vehicle and the woman shot is a nurse and would never threaten an officer. 

One of the most disturbing details of this case is the assertion by the investigating BLM officer that (knowingly or unknowingly) going outside of designated off-roading boundaries is sufficient justification for shooting an unarmed citizen. The KMIR report quotes the BLM Range Safety Officer (RSO) investigating the shooting: Muñoz says armed officers patrol the federal lands and it’s important before you go off roading to know where you’re going, “Before you go out and use those vehicles to make sure that you are driving them in a place where it’s allowed … sometimes people go out and assume that it’s okay so we just encourage you to do some homework.” Muñoz says the officer is on administrative leave until the investigation is complete. We reached out to the Bureau of Land Management who deferred us to RSO who is charged with investigating this shooting but did send us helpful links to off-roading and maps.
*Emphasis added.

The California case reveals a breathtaking level of arrogance within the BLM and its investigative apparatus. It appears that many federal officers feel entitled to use deadly force against citizens who may bend minor rules and regulations completely unrelated to public safety. This poses a threat to all Americans who seek to use public lands for recreation or other multiuses. The January and June incidents both involved victims who were unarmed. Tragic and inexplicable, these events are powerful evidence that Congress needs to join Senator Lee in defanging what appear to be trigger-happy federal agents."

http://www.freerangereport.com/index.php/2018/06/13/blm-investigator-gives-insane-rationale-for-shooting-of-unarmed-woman/


Comments

  1. The BLM is required to use local law enforcement because they do not have the freedom to detain and especially use deadly force. This story missed the killing of a homeless guy on a bike at Red Rock Utah and the BLM was responsible for the FBI setup and murder of Lavoy Finicum In Burns Oregon. The BLM will charge citizens under the DHS unconstitutional terrorism unjust laws.
    I sincerely hope the person shot is filing a wrongful use of deadly force law suit on the guy and the BLM. Ryan Zinke needs to disarm his storm troopers. Senator Mike Lee is correct.
    Reply
  2. Demilitarizing and unarming Federal agents can be done at the local level by the Sheriff and doesn’t require the Federal Govt to write some new law or do anything.
    Outside law enforcement agencys have to get prior written approval by the Sheriff in order to be present and operate in said county.
    A sheriff in Northern California, sorry can’t recall the specific county, revoked USFS agents ability to carry firearms while on duty and on patrol in his county last year after the community expressed their outrage over multiple incidents that involved violent encounters by locals with USFS agents!
    Reply
  3. Please check your sources. RSO is not Range Safety Officer it is Riverside Sheriff’s Officer who is the county sheriff for the area.
    Reply
  4. Sometimes it is the fault of local law enforcement that these incidents happen. 1) they call them in as backup in situations where they should be handling it themselves.
    2) The stupid Sheriffs DEPUTIZE them and give them authority to act.


Land Management Officer Shoots Woman Off-Roading in Berdoo Canyon
Kitty Alvarado Connect. June 11, 2018 6:31 PM June 11, 2018 7:34 PM. An officer with BLM or the Bureau of Land Management officer shot a woman who was ...
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BLM officer shoots woman in JTNP - The Desert Trail: News
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK — Riverside sheriff's deputies are investigating am officer-involved shooting in Joshua Tree National Park.
Hi-Desert Star

BLM Officer cleared in June 2018 OIS

The Riverside County DA’s Office has cleared a Bureau of Land Management officer who was involved in a non-fatal shooting last year of any criminal liability.

The shooting occurred on the night of June 11, 2018 near Indio Hills in the area of Berdoo Canyon Road east of Dillon Road.

BLM officers were called to the area to help Joshua Tree National Park Service Rangers with an investigation into illegal off-roading and failure to yield. 

A BLM officer attempted to stop the off-roading vehicle and an officer-involved shooting occurred. Further details on what led up to the shooting have not been released.

A woman on the off-roading vehicle was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. A man was detained at the scene.

The Riverside County Sheriff Department was called in to investigate the shooting.