A student that was shot to death at Portland State University on Monday has been identified as 19-year-old Amara Marluke.
Marluke was an artist and racial justice activist. While attending Sunset High School, she was the vice president of the Black Student Union and helped organize Black Lives Matter events, according to her social media accounts. Marluke held a similar role at Portland State University where she was in the process of pursuing a degree in Sonic Arts & Music.
On Monday around 1 am, Marluke was found dead after reports of gunfire near Southwest 6th Avenue and College Street, in front of Mak's Market and across the street from the Cheerful Tortoise Bar while allegedly walking home from work, according to police reports.
The medical examiner's office ruled Marluke's death a homicide on Tuesday after confirming her death was caused by gunshot wounds.
The suspect, 20-year-old Keenan Harpole, was taken into custody on Monday in Bend, Oregon at his family's property after turning himself in.
Law enforcement officers transported him back to Portland and he was booked into Multnomah County Jail on charges that included second-degree murder, domestic violence, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Harpole was a former running back on Portland State University's football team and attended Mountain View High School in Bend, Oregon.
While in court on Tuesday, Marluke's biological mother pleaded to the judge to keep Harpole in custody during his arraignment, according to KOIN News.
"She did not deserve to be shot downtown leaving her work. It's heart-breaking," the mother said.
Happening just now in court: Amara Maluke's bioligical mother called for her accused killer Keenan Harpole to remain in custody during his arraignment. Her mother says "She did not deserve to be shot downtown leaving her work. It's heart breaking."
— Brandon Thompson (@BThompsonNews) April 5, 2022
At Harpole's arraignment on Tuesday, a statement from Marluke's family was read in court.
"To say that Amara was the light of our life would not begin to do her justice. She was an activist who worked to support those who couldn't speak for themselves," her family said. "She had a rough start to her own life, lived through the years of the foster system, and somehow still had endless capacity to love and to help others. She touched our lives and those of so many others. Her dedication to her family and friends was unwavering. That she would fall victim to a senseless and violent death is unimaginable."
PSU officials released a statement following Harpole's arrest:
"Portland State University has learned tonight from the Portland Police Bureau that a first-year student and former football player at PSU, Keenan Harpole, is the alleged assailant in today's tragic shooting near campus. This is an unthinkable tragedy and we extend our deepest sympathies to all of those who are impacted by this incident. We will work together as a campus community to heal, reminding each other that violence is never the answer to the problems that we encounter.”
Harpole pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and will be back in court April 13.
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