The Guardian: On 27 October, when police arrested 141 people who had set up camps in the path of construction, officers attempted to arrest Fallis on the local highway, claiming she was “being an instigator and acting disorderly”. In a news alert released on Monday, the sheriff’s office alleged that Fallis resisted arrest and fired three shots, causing the ground to “explode”. No one was injured.
“It wasn’t because she was trying to aim away from law enforcement, it was because it was just our lucky day,” said Captain Bryan Niewind, who said he was standing two feet from her. “Law enforcement showed restraint … We did not fire upon her.”
The news of her charges – which also include preventing arrest, carrying a concealed firearm and marijuana possession – shocked members of the International Indigenous Youth Council, which is made up of adolescents and young adults who have been on the frontlines of numerous demonstrations.
“Anyone at the camp that needs help, she’s always been the one to stand up,” said Mia Stevens, a 22-year-old youth council member who has known Fallis since she was a child. “She wouldn’t do nothing like that. Where is the proof?”
Asked for copies of any footage of the arrest or photos of the firearm, a spokeswoman for the sheriff said: “That is all evidence that will not be released until the investigation is complete.”