MERRY CHRISTMAS MARK McCONNELL
Informant Mark McConnell Ordered To Stop Harassment
On Tuesday – October 11th, 2016 – Jon Ritzheimer was sitting at a outside table at Nana Tee’s restaurant in Phoenix Arizona with friends when he was suddenly assaulted by Mark McConnell and girlfriend Shannon Vita, who were armed and ready to fight.
McConnell, was revealed to be a key informant during the Malhuer Wildlife Refuge trials in Portland Oregon who helped Oregon State Troopers and the FBI set up a deadly roadblock which resulted in the death of Mr. Ritzheimer’s long time friend and fellow activist, Arizona Rancher, LaVoy Finicum.
After the stop Mr. McConnell was apprehended along with Ammon Bundy and other’s who were actively taking part in an attempt at an adverse possession of the Malhuer Wildlife Refuge located about 30 miles outside of Burns, Oregon. McConnell had been an active participant in the Occupation posing as Ammon Bundy’s armed lead security person, and was driving the jeep that carried key occupation leaders when they were pulled over; McConnell was the only person who exited the vehicle armed, and was the only one who was released after questioning. This set off a flurry of accusations that McConnell was an informant which he aggressively denied and still denies to this day, even though Oregon State troopers and FBI witnesses say otherwise.
Ritzheimer, who would eventually be arrested for his role during the occupation of the Refuge, said he was minding his own business when McConnell came strolling up to his table; his friends saw him before he did.
” I stood up as I saw him approach the table – he said, and I remember thinking as he and his girlfriend flashed their weapons, this could get ugly.”
Witnesses say it was clear McConnell was spoiling for a fight and that he knew because of Jon’s court-ordered release conditions he would not be carrying a weapon. But that did not stop McConnell from approaching Ritzheimer that day and using intimidation to get Ritzheimer to react. Friends say Jon stayed very calm and told McConnell that he wanted nothing to do with him. Ritzheimer filed a police report immediately after the informant and his girlfriend left the scene.
Phoenix police who had been trying to serve McConnell with an Injunction Against Harassment (Restraining Order) since the day it was granted to Mr. Ritzheimer on October 18th, found their target to be illusive; but early Christmas Eve morning Maricopa County Sheriffs received a tip that McConnell was home in bed nursing a pretty bad hang-over. The Injunction was later served successfully.
McConnell and members of the Arizona lll% Organization, Veterans On Patrol, and various groups who run operations on the border, have been critical of Mr. Ritzheimer and others who participated in the Occupation of the Malhuer Wildlife Refuge. Even though a few of them were also present and reported to the FBI on daily basis, none played as clear a role as Mark McConnell did while there. Fueled by internet rumor and speculation many threats have been posted by McConnell and his followers on social media. So much so, a Judge ruled clearly that Mark McConnell and anyone acting on his behalf, posed a real threat to Mr. Ritzheimer and his wife Rachel.
McConnell or anyone who is acting on behalf of Mark McConnell, have been ordered to stop harassing Mr. Ritzheimer and his family. McConnell has often been noted as bragging about “doing it right” it is yet to be seen if McConnell and anyone who would approach Jon Ritzheimer moving forward, has sense enough to follow an order by the court and begin to practice what they preach.
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