FATAL ENDING: VANDALIA STANDOFF CLAIMS 2ND LIFE

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.