This story originally aired on Februray 13, 2017.
It’s been 25 years since the Ruby Ridge siege in North Idaho. Randy Weaver and his family faced off with federal agents in a shocking stand-off on a mountain top not far from Bonners Ferry.
The siege began on August 21, 1992 and lasted 11 days. In the end, Weaver and a friend were shot and injured, and three people were dead, including Weaver’s wife and young son and a federal agent. Moreover, the incident became a rallying cry for those who felt law enforcement had overstepped its bounds.
A new documentary titled “Ruby Ridge” airs Tuesday night on American Experience on Idaho Public Television.
The documentary uses eyewitness interviews with Weaver’s daughter, federal agents and reporters, like Bill Morlin, who were there. Morlin worked for more than 30 years for the Spokane Chronicle and the Spokesman-Review. He reported on extremist groups, including the Aryan Nations in North Idaho.
Weaver was accused of making two illegal sawed-off shotguns. Morlin says he started covering the case a few months before the siege began.
Reporter Bill Morlin tells more of his story in the new American Experience documentary “Ruby Ridge,” which airs Tuesday night at 9 p.m. on Idaho Public Television.
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