Brent Douglas Cole, the man accused of shooting a Bureau of Land Management ranger and a California Highway Patrol officer earlier this month in a national forest, was allegedly camping illegally on federal land when the confrontation occurred.
The Sacramento Bee reported Saturday that the BLM ranger and the highway patrol officer, who were both wounded, had been investigating Cole’s campground when the gunfire erupted. Cole, who was also shot in the incident, is facing charges of attempted murder, according to the Bee.
The law enforcement officers were attempting to tow motorcycles from Cole’s campsite immediately preceding the shootout, according to the Bee.
As TPM previously reported, Cole has been linked to the “sovereign citizens” movement, which views the federal government as an illegitimate conspiracy.
Sovereign Sponges
I forget, which Amendment is it that states that “Congress shall make no law infringing upon the right of deranged citizens to freeload upon the rest of us?” Would that be Amendment 2½? Or is it Amendment 7¾?
All the wingnuts who fantasize that if it were 1850, they’d have to do no more than move onto land no one else was apparently squatting on and voila! They’re suddenly landowners and can exploit at will!
I wonder if they’ll let him keep his autographed Sean Hannity in a speedo poster?
How is this news? The guy shot two officers because of some nutjob theory on sovereign citizenry and we should be shocked that he was “illegally camping” too? Oh wow, illegal camping, OMG what has this world come to?