Oregon siege: Family of anti-government protester, LaVoy Finicum, challenge FBI account of his shooting

An armed militia have occupied the federal wildlife reserve for the past month

Lavoy Finicum, 55, was shot dead when fleeing to a traffic stop at the Oregon wildlife refugee (MSNBC)

The family of an anti-government protester who was killed after fleeing a traffic stop near the armed occupation of a wildlife refuge in Oregon have challenged the official account of his death.

Relatives of Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, 54, a spokesman for the group that took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, said he posed no threat and they were not accepting the Federal Bureau of Investigation's assertion that he was armed.

"LaVoy was not 'charging' anyone. He appears to have been shot in the back, with his hands in the air," the Arizona rancher's family said in a statement through their attorney.

"At this point we will await the outcome of any investigation, but based on the information currently available to us, we do not believe that LaVoy's shooting death was justified."

The FBI released video on Thursday of state police fatally shooting Finicum. Law enforcement officials said he made a motion toward a gun in his coat pocket.

FBI special agent, Greg Bretzing, said Finicum had refused to follow police orders.

He said: "Finicum reaches his right hand toward a pocket on the left inside portion of his jacket.

"He did have a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun in that pocket. At this time, OSP troopers shot Finicum.

"We feel it is necessary to show the whole thing unedited in the interest of transparency."

Four armed anti-government protesters were still at the remote refuge on Friday.

Clockwise from top left: Oregon anti-government protesters: Ryan Bundy, Ammon Bundy, Brian Cavalier, Jon Tizheimer, Peter Santilli, Shawna Cox, Ryan Payne and Joseph O'Shaughnessy (Reuters)

Ammon Bundy, who led the month-long occupation of the refuge, was arrested on Tuesday along with other protestors including his brother, Ryan.

Bundy has issued messages through his attorney urging the remaining protesters to stand down and saying they would continue to fight federal land policy through the courts.

He appeared in court in Portland on suspicion of conspiracy to use force, intimidation or threats to impede federal officers from discharging their duties where he and his brother were denied bail.

Lie of the land: Ammon Bundy, second from left (AFP/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

US Magistrate Stacie Beckerman said she believed Bundy might attempt to occupy more federal land if he was released.

The armed siege started after a small group broke away from a peaceful march in Burns, Oregon over the conviction of Dwight and Steven Hammond - local ranchers who had been ordered back too prison for setting fire to public land after a judge ruled their inital sentences were too lenient.

The Hammonds said they set the fires to reduce the growth of invasive plants to reduce the risk of wildfires on they leased from the government.

They have said they do not support the aims of the militia - who claimed they wanted to "overthrown the government and spark a national uprising" earlier this month.

Additional reporting by Reuters