Who was Randy Weaver?

RANDY Weaver, the man who had an 11-day stand-off with federal agents in 1992 passed away on May 11, 2022. The stand-off resulted in the death of his wife and 14-year-old son in the mountainside of their Idaho home. Who was Randy Weaver? Randy Weaver became known to far-right extremist groups since the shootout that […]

RANDY Weaver, the man who had an 11-day stand-off with federal agents in 1992 passed away on May 11, 2022.

The stand-off resulted in the death of his wife and 14-year-old son in the mountainside of their Idaho home.

Who was Randy Weaver?

Randy Weaver became known to far-right extremist groups since the shootout that took place at his Idaho home in 1992.

His book, The Federal Siege at Ruby Ridge, was released in 1998 and in 2001 he appeared at gun shows, although he legally couldn’t purchase one, and sat at a booth to tell his story.

Speaking about his home, Weaver told The Washington Post in 2001, “There was no wind. The snowflakes were so big you could hear them when they hit the ground. The kids had three or four campgrounds around the land. They’d go out and build fires at night.

“And Vicki canned. She and the kids would pick huckleberries. She got top dollar ’cause she picked clean. Or she’d trade a gallon of huckleberries for four quarts of peaches.

“We sold firewood — me, Vick, and the kids. Then we’d go into Bonner’s Ferry and have a hamburger or a pizza.”

Those who stepped up to Weaver’s booth shared their condolences for the loss of his wife and child and expressed their anger at the justice system.

“They want to talk to me a little more than I want to talk to them,” Weaver told the outlet.

“They’ve become so upset with the government that it’s hard to trust anybody. They’re not bad people. They are just mad.”

Weaver moved from the small town with his three daughters and relocated to Montana, more than 100 miles away from Ruby Ridge, where he and his family could enjoy more space and quiet.

What happened at Ruby Ridge?

Weaver was arrested in 1989 for selling counterfeit guns, but a wrongfully given court date resulted in a fiery standoff between federal agents and his family.

When Weaver failed to show up in court in 1992, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Nearly a year and a half later, FBI agents surrounded Weaver’s home and when they were detected by the family’s dog, the agents shot the animal and began shooting at Weaver’s son, Sam.

The shootout left Sam, who was 14 years old, dead, alongside US Marshal William Degan.

The following day, Weaver’s wife, Vicki, was fatally shot in the head by an FBI sniper while she held their 10-month-old daughter in her arms.

Weaver turned himself in 11 days later and was charged with killing Degan, but a jury indicted him.

He ultimately served 16 months in jail for the original gun charge but following the horror that shook Ruby Ridge, where the family lived, stayed with Weaver until his dying day.

What happened in the aftermath of Ruby Ridge?

In the aftermath of the shootout at Ruby Ridge, Weaver brought a lawsuit against the FBI in 1994.

He filed federal civil rights cases against the FBI and the US Marshals.

The Post reported that an investigation into the FBI’s conduct found they altered their rules of engagement and agents were directed to shoot armed adults on sight.

Sniper Lon Horiuchi pulled the trigger that killed Weaver’s wife, although he claimed in court that he was not aiming for Vicki.

Horiuchi faced charges of involuntary manslaughter in 1997 but the charge was dismissed.

Three years later, the ruling was appealed, but a new county prosecutor announced he would not try Horiuchi, the Chicago Tribune reported in 2001.

The government ultimately settled the case in 2001, awarding $3.1million to Weaver who gave $1million to each of his three daughters and kept $100k for himself.

Weaver returned to Idaho where he lived out the rest of his life. His daughter, Sarah, posted the news of her father’s death on Facebook and wrote:

“Love you always Dad…. See ya next time I see ya.

“January 3, 1948 – May 11, 2022.”