Suspect in Portland shooting of Trump supporter shot dead as officers try to arrest him
A man suspected in the shooting death of a Donald Trump supporter in Portland has been killed by federal agents as they moved in to arrest him.
Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, was shot dead on Thursday evening by officers dispatched to detain him in the town of Lacey, south of Seattle, in Washington state.
Federal agents from the FBI and the US Marshals Service had located Reinoehl on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
During the encounter, Reinoehl was shot by a law enforcement officer who was working on the federal task force, an official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The official said Reinoehl was shot after pulling out a gun.
At almost the same time as the New York Times first reported Reinoehl had been killed, Mr Trump used Twitter to call for his arrest.
“Why aren’t the Portland Police ARRESTING the cold blooded killer of Aaron 'Jay' Danielson,” he wrote.
“Do your job, and do it fast. Everybody knows who this thug is. No wonder Portland is going to hell! @TheJusticeDept @FB"
Why aren’t the Portland Police ARRESTING the cold blooded killer of Aaron “Jay” Danielson. Do your job, and do it fast. Everybody knows who this thug is. No wonder Portland is going to hell! @TheJusticeDept @FBI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Reinoehl was a suspect in last weekend’s shooting of Danielson, 39, who had been taking part in a pro-Trump rally that was organised to counter the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that have gripped the city for the past 100 days.
Earlier on Monday, Reinoehl appeared to have confessed to the killing of Danielson, a member of the right wing group Patriot Prayer, but suggested he had acted in self defence.
In an interview published by Vice, he said: “You know, lots of lawyers suggest that I shouldn’t even be saying anything, but I feel it’s important that the world at least gets a little bit of what’s really going on.”
He added: “I had no choice. I mean, I, I had a choice. I could have sat there and watched them kill a friend of mine of colour. But I wasn’t going to do that.”
Police in Lacey, located 60 miles southwest of Seattle, had no immediate information about the shooting of Reinoehl and directed The Independent’s enquiries to the US Marshals Service, a federal law enforcement agency that is part of the department of justice. The agency also provided no further details on the incident when approached.
In a 16 June Instagram post, Reinoehl wrote that every revolution needed people willing and ready to fight.
“I am 100% ANTIFA all the way! I am willing to fight for my brothers and sisters! ... We do not want violence but we will not run from it either! ... Today’s protesters and Antifa are my brothers in arms,” he said.
Read more
Protester linked to killing Trump supporter says he had ‘no choice’
From Kenosha to Portland, we’re in the eye of the protest storm
Police appear to punch Portland protester multiple times
Portland police declare riot after fire started outside mayor’s home
