Michael Forest Reinoehl, a self-described anti-fascist who
provided security for Portland racial justice protests, appears
to have targeted a participant in a pro-Trump rally, emerging
from an alcove of a parking garage before firing two gunshots,
one that hit the man’s bear spray can and the other that proved
fatal, according to a police affidavit unsealed Friday.
Police found a single Winchester .380-caliber bullet casing on
the street, a metal canister of “Bear Attack Detector” that had
a “large defect” in it and a collapsible metal baton just north
of Aaron “Jay” Danielson’s body, a detective said in the
affidavit.
Danielson, 39, was pronounced dead at 8:55 p.m. last Saturday on
Southwest Third Avenue, about 10 minutes after the shooting was
reported. He died from a single bullet to the upper right chest,
an autopsy found. The bullet was found lodged in his back.
During a search of Reinoehl’s basement rental unit in a
Northeast Portland house on 92nd Avenue, police found ammunition
of the same caliber used in Danielson’s shooting and clothing
Reinoehl wore that night, prosecutors said. The search didn’t
appear to have turned up the gun used.
Portland police obtained a warrant Thursday afternoon charging
Reinoehl with second-degree murder with a weapon and unlawful
use of a weapon. That night, four officers from three different
Washington agencies shot at Reinoehl after he walked out of an
apartment outside Lacey, Washington, and tried to flee as they
moved in to arrest him. Reinoehl was hit multiple times and died
at the scene. He had a handgun but Washington investigators said
it’s not clear yet whether he fired it.
On Friday afternoon, a judge unsealed the affidavits for his
arrest warrant and a warrant for the search of Reinoehl’s
residence. The documents offer new details of the deadly
encounter between Reinoehl and Danielson shortly after a car
caravan in support of President Trump had left Portland’s
downtown last weekend.
Several witnesses told police they saw Danielson holding a can
of mace or bear spray and then heard two shots, the affidavit
said.
Police found damage to the bear spray canister that was
retrieved from the street, leading investigators to believe it
was struck by the first of two bullets fired by Reinoehl.
Police slowed down video captured by a livestreamer of the
shooting and said it appeared that a shot was fired, followed by
an explosion of the chemical and then a quick second gunshot,
the affidavit said. Danielson stumbled two or three steps before
collapsing in the street.
Detectives found a loaded 9mm handgun on Danielson’s waistband
and three magazines of 9mm red-tip ammunition in his right cargo
pants pocket, the affidavit said. Surveillance video from the
nearby Third Avenue parking garage showed Danielson holding a
baton in his left hand and the bear spray in his right hand
before the shooting, according to police.
Reinoehl is seen hiding in an alcove of the garage and reaching
into a pouch or waistband as Danielson and a friend, Chandler
Pappas, walk south on Third Avenue.
Homicide Detective Rico Beniga wrote that Reinoehl “conceals
himself, waits and watches” as Danielson and Pappas pass him.
After the two men go by, Reinoehl followed them, walking west
across the street moments before the gunshots were fired, police
said.
Investigators said it appeared as if Reinoehl stood holding his
gun with both hands extended when he fired. After the shots, his
right hand remained extended and pointed at Danielson before he
turned to run away, police said.
Both Danielson and Pappas were wearing Patriot Prayer hats,
signifying their support of the right-wing group based in
Vancouver.
https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/09/arrest-warrant-against-
michael-reinoehl-for-2nd-degree-murder-unlawful-use-of-a-firearm-
unsealed.html