Overview

Vicki Jean Weaver (nee Jordison) was an American woman shot and killed by FBI Hostage Rescue Team sniper Lon Horiuchi on August 22; 1992; during the Ruby Ridge siege in Boundary County; Idaho. At the time she was shot; Vicki was standing in the doorway of her cabin holding her ten-month-old daughter Elisheba; while her husband Randy Weaver; his friend Kevin Harris; and their surviving children sheltered inside. The day before; U.S. Marshals had killed the Weavers' 14-year-old son Samuel and family dog in an initial confrontation that also left Deputy Marshal William Degan dead. The FBI then deployed the Hostage Rescue Team with modified rules of engagement that authorized snipers to shoot any armed adult male on sight; rules later deemed unconstitutional. Horiuchi fired at Randy Weaver as he returned to the cabin; missing; then fired a second shot as Weaver entered the cabin doorway; the bullet passed through Vicki's head (killing her instantly) and wounded Kevin Harris. The FBI initially withheld the fact that they had killed Vicki Weaver for days. The subsequent investigation and Senate hearings revealed egregious misconduct by federal agencies; FBI officials were found to have destroyed evidence and altered after-action reports. The Weaver family received a $3.1 million settlement from the federal government; and the incident became a catalyzing event for the American militia movement and anti-government sentiment.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports