A man, an antifa supporter, being investigated for the fatal shooting of a right-wing activist who was part of a pro-Trump rally in Portland, Oregon, was shot and killed on Thursday night when authorities moved to arrest him, reported New York Times.
According to the report, the deceased was identified as Michael Forest Reinoehl (48). Reinoehl was killed during the encounter in Lacey, Washington, southwest of Seattle, when a federal fugitive task force moved to apprehend him. Lieutenant Ray Brady said that the suspect being sought by the law enforcement team had exited an apartment and got into a vehicle. And when the authorities attempted to apprehend him, there was gunfire. Brady further added that four law enforcement officers fired their weapons.
Brady claimed that the officers at the scene reported that the suspect was armed, but that investigators had not confirmed that as of early Friday morning, reported New York Times. The report further states that an arrest warrant had been issued by the Portland police earlier Thursday on the same day that Vice News published an interview with Reinoehl in which he appeared to admit to the shooting, saying, “I had no choice.”
The Portland police had been investigating Saturday’s shooting death of Aaron J. Danielson, one of the supporters of President Trump who came into downtown Portland and clashed with protesters demonstrating against racial injustice and police brutality.
Portland has become a flashpoint for demonstrations against police brutality and racism since the police killing of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 triggered a wave of national and international outrage.