cannabisnews.com: Fatal Ending: Vandalia Standoff Claims 2nd Life Fatal Ending: Vandalia Standoff Claims 2nd Life Posted by FoM on September 05, 2001 at 09:09:24 PT By Jim Meehan, Tribune Staff Writer Source: South Bend Tribune Rolland Rohm's father arrived Tuesday morning hopeful of a peaceful solution to his son's standoff with police at Rainbow Farm Campground. Also hoping for an amenable ending were Rolland Rohm's mother, Gerry Livermore, and her husband, John, who had driven for 12 hours Monday night to Vandalia from near Chattanooga, Tenn.But when a minister arrived sometime after 9 a.m. EDT at a police staging area near the intersection of Black Street and White Temple Road, John Livermore knew it was a bad sign. And when Cass County Sheriff Joseph Underwood met with the news media about 10 a.m. EDT, his worst fears were realized.Rolland Rohm, 28, was already dead. He had died early Monday morning.According to Underwood, at 6:30 a.m. EDT, Rohm was observed leaving the residence at the campground with a long gun and he walked out into the yard.After several orders to put down the weapon, Rohm pointed the weapon at a Michigan State Police Emergency Support Team member. At that moment, Rohm was fatally wounded, Underwood said.Rohm's close friend, Grover T. "Tom" Crosslin, 46, whom he had lived with for 11 years, was shot Monday night by an FBI agent when he, too, had pointed a gun at law enforcement.Underwood would not divulge how many times Rohm was shot or where.Both men had been facing drug charges from arrests in May.Crosslin was charged with manufacturing marijuana, more than 200 plants; maintaining a drug house; felony firearm possession during commission of a crime; and firearm possession by a felon.Rohm was initially charged with manufacturing marijuana, more than 200 plants; maintaining a drug house; and felony firearms. The last two charges were dismissed on June 22, court records show.Another man, 18-year-old James Peoples, received minor injuries during the standoff, but he was not in custody and was not charged with any crime.Though some of Crosslin's supporters were questioning police's handling of the events in the five-day standoff Tuesday, Underwood said people should examine the facts involved.Both men had been holed up at the campground since fires were set there Friday and police and fire officials were advised not to come in."I think you have to look at the situation and the events of what has happened here and what steps that were taken to try to end this very peacefully," Underwood said."We did not go up to the house. We had observers back from the house. They engaged our officers that were out in the field. There was no aggressive attempt made by law enforcement. They were engaged at the site."They were 100 yards back or more last night. ... After setting the house on fire, he comes out with a weapon. And he engages officers again and they have to respond."Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Risko defended police actions and said Rohm was repeatedly ordered to put down his gun."In each occasion, both subjects pointed firearms at officers, and I don't know what else you would have officers do," Risko said.The FBI has said little about the standoff. Crosslin was shot by a federal agent, and Rohm by state police.Special Agent Dawn Clenney said officials were investigating and still did not know what sparked the standoff.FBI and state police investigators planned to spend Tuesday night outside the campground."It's a big crime scene out there," Clenney said. "We've got a lot to do."A total of five buildings burned down during the five-day standoff. Newberg Township Fire Department firefighters put out several hot spots Tuesday morning. The violent ending came just minutes before police were expecting Rohm to surrender.Rohm's attorney, Dori Leo, of the Vlachos and Vlachos firm of Kalamazoo, had spoken to him via walkie-talkie for one half hour before midnight Monday.At about 3:45 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Rohm requested that his son, Robert, 13, be brought to see him and he would then surrender at 7 a.m. EDT, Underwood said.Law enforcement authorities were in the process of granting this request, Underwood said, when at about 6:12 a.m. EDT, it was reported there was a glow in the upstairs of the residence on Rainbow Farm and that it was on fire.Rohm was then observed leaving the residence at 6:30 a.m. EDT before pointing the long gun at Michigan State Police and being fatally shot."It's very frustrating," Underwood said. "He did not appear agitated when we were making arrangements for him to come out. We wanted a peaceful resolution."So did Rohm's family and friends, some of whom claimed officials were not telling the truth Tuesday."They made a deal with Rollie that they would bring his son over here," his stepfather, John Livermore, said. "Rollie was not violent. He was slow. He was easily led. He had a learning disability. He trusted them. They made a deal."At a few minutes before 7, they say he came out with a gun. I don't believe he did. I believe that he walked out expecting to see his son and he met his death."Livermore was also mad that police did not let him or other family members, including Livermore's wife, Gerry, Rohm's mother, and his father, Robert Rohm, talk to Rohm."I wish they would have let us talk him out," he said. "We were here. They knew we were coming."They told me just as soon as they made contact with them this morning, that they would allow me to go ahead and talk to Tom and Rollie. I told them that I had good communication with them and I know I could talk them both out. But they did not want them to come out."Livermore said they did not know that Crosslin had been killed until Tuesday morning after they arrived. Livermore said he and his wife were planning on taking legal action."We thought there was a chance to get him out," Gerry Livermore said. "I was frustrated this morning when I could not get him out."We do not believe he came out with a gun. I am shocked but now my main concern is his grandson."Underwood said family members were not called upon to speak with Rohm because police believed that things were under control."We felt we had established a relationship with Rolland," Underwood said. "We had a conversation with him. We had an agreement with him."His son was brought here to the command area. This was the first time we had actually had a dialogue with Mr. Rohm and we felt we were bringing it to a successful conclusion at 3:45 a.m."A few miles from the campground, on Michigan 60 on Tuesday afternoon, Crosslin and Rohm supporters had signs placed supporting the campgrounds and its leader.They, too, were asking questions."I can't believe if he thought his life was going to be threatened that he would shoot one round at two men," David Watts, a friend and past employee of Crosslin's said of Tom's death Monday. "I don't understand it."Trena Moss, of Hillsdale, Mich., also was at the site on M-60."The whole thing could have been handled differently," Moss said. "The whole thing is insane. I can't get over it."It's not just here but what is happening all over the country. What is happening to our government and why is our government persecuting the people? All we are trying to do is help people."Crosslin's uncle felt police could have left things alone."What they did on Tom's property was Tom's business," said his uncle, George Coldwell, of Elkhart."It's a very hard situation to talk about, very hard," said Crosslin's aunt, Josephine Vanitta from Smithville, Tenn. "I don't believe Tom meant to kill anyone."John Livermore was choked up."We were an hour late," he said. "It's just a sick society. That's all it is, a sick society. If you've got somebody that's a thorn in your side, you just kill them and get rid of them. And that's not right."Underwood said authorities feared the campground was booby trapped.Local, state and federal officials were still at the campground Tuesday afternoon. A bomb squad also was on the scene, but Risko said no bombs had been found."The house is still smoldering, so it will be a few days before we get the investigation part of it done," Risko said.Tribune staff writer Christine Cox and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Source: South Bend Tribune (IN)Author: Jim Meehan, Tribune Staff Writer Published: September 05, 2001Copyright: 2001 South Bend TribuneContact: vop sbtinfo.comWebsite: http://www.southbendtribune.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Rainbow Farm Campgroundhttp://www.rainbowfarmcamp.com/ Lawyer Expected Different Outcomehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10826.shtmlFarm Drew Police Long Before Standoffhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10825.shtmlSon's Standoff Status Shockinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10824.shtmlFatal Endings Leave Supporters Wonderinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10823.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Crosslinhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Crosslin Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Post Comment