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A man suspected of killing a far-right protester in Portland was shot and killed in an operation to stop him, according to authorities.
Michael Reinoehl was located by FBI agents and the United States Marshals Service on Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued for him.
During the encounter, Reinoehl is said to have brandished a gun before a police officer shot him at Lacey. Washington.
The 48-year-old man was the main suspect in the murder of Aaron Jay Danielson, which occurred during clashes between Donald trump supporters and Black lives matter protesters on Saturday in Oregon, Portland.
BLM protests have occurred regularly in the city following the police killing of George Floyd In May.
Over the weekend, a convoy of about 600 vehicles, carrying roughly 1,000 Trump supporters, went through the city and was confronted by protesters.
In an interview with Vice, Reinoehl said that he had acted in self-defense when he shot Danielson, a member of the Patriot Prayer group.
He added, “I had no choice. I mean, I, I had a choice. I could have sat there and watched them kill a colored friend of mine. But I wasn’t going to do that.”
Mr. Reinoehl, who regularly attended anti-racism demonstrations, described himself as “100% ANTIFA” on social media and suggested that the tactics used by counter-protesters amounted to “war”.
He had also been shot earlier in one protest and is cited for having a weapon in another.
Donald Trump acknowledged Danielson’s murder and tweeted: “Why don’t the Portland police ARREST cold-blooded killer Aaron” Jay “Danielson? Do your job and do it fast. Everyone knows who this bully is. It’s not wonder Portland is going to hell! “
There have been months of unrest in Portland, with hundreds of people arrested after protesters vandalized government buildings and police stations, and authorities used tear gas and pepper spray to break up crowds.
Democratic Officials and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown have said: “The violence must stop. There is no room for white supremacy or vigilantism in Oregon.”
They added, “Together, we are committed to doing the hard work that will bring significant change for racial justice and police reform.”