The leader of the forced occupation of a federal wildlife reserve in Oregon was arrested after the FBI confronted members of the armed group. In the skirmish, one protestor was shot dead, authorities said.

The month-long occupation staged by the Oregon activists finally ended. Ammon Bundy, the leader, along with four others were taken in to custody by FBI officials. 

According to the FBI, gunshots were heard after several officers stopped a vehicle that carried Bundy and his group close to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Robert LaVoy Finicum, a rancher and an activist, was shot dead. He is supposed to be the spokesman of the group.

Law enforcement officials told Reuters that on Tuesday night, FBI agents erected a perimeter around the place where some of the activists were holding out, sustaining their defiance of federal control of huge tracts of the United States.

Jason Patrick, one of the holdouts, told Reuters on the phone that they would remain on the ground until their grievances are redressed.

"I've heard 'peaceful resolution' for weeks now and now there's a cowboy who is my friend who is dead - so prepare for the peaceful resolution," said Patrick.

The nine apprehended activists were travelling in two vehicles approximately 45 miles from the wildlife refuge when they were accosted by FBI agents. Some of them tried to escape, and gunfire ensued.

It was not clear who fired their guns.

"We all thought it would end, but not like this," Challice Finicum Finch, daughter of the dead activist said. "My dad did stress that they couldn't pull a gun on them [officers] unless they pulled a gun. They were all committed to not firing on federal agents," she added.

In an NBC News report, Finicum, the dead man, said the he preferred death to jail. "There are things more important than your life, and freedom is one of them. I'm prepared to defend freedom," he said.