The man being investigated by police in the fatal shooting of a Trump supporter in Portland identifies as Antifa and is an ardent Black Lives Matter supporter.
The man being investigated by police in the fatal shooting of a Trump supporter in Portland identifies as Antifa and is an ardent Black Lives Matter supporter. Michael Reinoehl was previously arrested at an Antifa riot in July and charged with illegally possessing a loaded firearm, and other crimes.
He was let go and the charges were never pursued by the prosecutor. He allegedly went on to kill Aaron "Jay" Danielson on Saturday night. The Oregonian was the first to report that Reinoehl, 48, is being investigated by Portland Police for the homicide. He has not been formally named or charged by police. In the early hours of July 5 during the height of violent Antifa and BLM riots outside the federal courthouse, Reinoehl was cited on a possessing a loaded gun in a public place, resisting arrest and interfering with police.
He was photographed at the time fighting police while on the ground. He cited and released. He spent no time in the county jail and the prosecutors did not pursue the charges. Katie Daviscourt, a Seattle conservative activist, knew the shooting victim. "He wasn’t a violent type. [He] just loved this country and our President," she tells The Post Millennial.
The Oregonian reported that Reinoehl was arrested in July for possessing a loaded gun, resisting arrest, and interfering with police but charges were dropped:
"On July 5 at one of the demonstrations, Reinoehl was cited at 2:10 a.m. in the 700 block of Southwest Main Street on allegations of possessing a loaded gun in a public place, resisting arrest and interfering with police. He was given a date to appear in court later that month, but the allegations were dropped on July 30 with a “no complaint,” according to court records. The documents don’t indicate why prosecutors decided not to pursue the accusations. Reinoehl spent no time behind bars."
Reinoehl, a Portland native, is a self described security guard for Portland rioters. The 48-year-old "professional snowboarder" has bragged about his military experience and described the events that let to a bullet grazing his arm.
The bandage and injury described is in the same location as that reported of the shooter. In the same video, the BLM neck tattoo is identical to the tattoo seen in video of the incident of the shooting.
On his Instagram page, Reinoehl posted: "Every revolution needs people that are willing and ready to fight. There are many of us protesters that are just protesting without a clue of where that will lead. That's just the beginning that's where the fight starts. If that's as far and you can take it thank you for your participation but please stand aside and support the ones that are willing to fight. I am 100% ANTIFA all the way! I am willing to fight for my brothers and sisters! Even if some of them are too ignorant to realize what antifa truly stands for."
Reinoehl continued: "We do not want violence but we will not run from it either! If the police continue to pick on and beat up innocent citizens that are peacefully voicing their objections, it must be met with equal force! We are currently living through a crucial point in Humanities evolution. We truly have an opportunity right now to fix everything. But it will be a fight like no other! It will be a war and like all wars there will be casualties."
Reinoehl once again touted his military experience and seemed to advocate for a revolution against the US government: "I was in the army and hated it. I did not feel like lighting for them would ever be a good cause. Today's protesters and antifa are my bothers in arms. This is a Cause to fight for This truly is fighting for my country!
"I have children that need to live in a world run by Common Sense and human decency. And I will do anything to make sure that happens. Now is the time to change the course of humanity. If we fold now just because they show some Force we will be lost for another hundred years. And I don't think the planet will let us live that long if we don't straighten shit up. Please be strong and United. I love you all."
The shooting occurred Saturday night, Aug. 29, in Portland, after a caravan of Trump supporters assembled near a shopping mall and drove trucks around the city with American flags and Trump flags. They were greeted by far-left Antifa activists who blocked traffic and threw items at the vehicles, which often elicited a response from the vehicle occupants.
Portland has been the site of over 90 days of continuous violence. Video surfaced soon after the shooting appearing where someone is heard shouting "We got a Trumper right here" just before the shots are fired and the man is killed.
Additional footage claims to show the shooter in other parts of Portland.
The shooter is also wearing the same grey vest that Reinoehl is wearing that he posted to his own social media channels.
According to Andy Ngo "The victim of last night's deadly shooting in downtown Portland has been identified as Aaron Danielson, who went by Jay. His family has been informed of his death. Portland Police have not released details about their investigation and the shooter is at-large."
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Danielson was named earlier before it was confirmed when people matched his clothing, hat and other insignia with the shooting victim including a Patriot Prayer group hat.
In the aftermath, some rioters claimed one of their own had been shot and when they realized it was a person involved in the caravan.
Following the violence, far left rioters celebrated the shooting.
According to the Portland Tribune, the victim "arrived with an associate hours earlier at a suburban mall in order to offer make-shift security services for the caravan of Trump supporters who later clashed with protesters downtown" and was seen earlier in the day by the Tribune.
According to the Tribune "During a three-minute recorded interview, the man who was later shot said little. He declined to pose for a photograph but said he had no beef with journalists.
"We're all about independent journalism. Andy Ngo has been assaulted for being an independent journalist, he's not even right-leaning," the man remarked, adding that "the Overton Window has been pushed so far to the left, that like normalcy seems..." before being cutoff by another group member.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler addressed the shooting Sunday morning in a press conference, after sending a letter to President Donald Trump rejecting federal intervention in the riots while simultaneously blaming the President for the unrest despite almost 100 nights of violence.
"It is still early in this investigation, and I ask everyone to give the detectives time to do their important work before drawing conclusions about what took place," said Police Chief Chuck Lovell. "If anyone can provide information about this case, I ask them to please reach out to our detectives. This violence is completely unacceptable and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible."
Portland has been the focus of nearly 100 days of continuous violence organized by Antifa and far-left activists. Video surfaced soon after the shooting showing antifa black bloc militants outside the Justice Center dancing and celebrating the news of Danielson's death, who is called a "Nazi" on a bullhorn. Some Antifa accounts on Twitter had earlier wrongly claimed that a "fascist" killed one of their black comrades.
Andy Ngo contributed to this report.