Police say they shot dead an anti-fascist activist, Michael Reinoehl, on Thursday as they moved in to arrest him for the alleged fatal shooting of a right-wing activist in Portland, Oregon, last weekend.
Matthew Larotonda reports.
The anti-fascist activist suspected by authorities in the shooting death of a right-wing protester in Portland last week has been shot and killed by authorities sent to arrest him.
48-year-old Michael Reinoehl was wanted on a charge of murder.
Police say a fugitive task force was "conducting surveillance" when he left an apartment building in Olympia, Washington and got in a car.
Then there was a confrontation.
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office, which is responsible for investigating the incident, says the exact circumstances have not been confirmed.
Lieutenant Ray Brady: "There were shots that were fired into the vehicle and the subject fled from the vehicle, at which time there were additional shots that were fired.
(...) At this point the information we have is that he was armed.
I have not confirmed that at this point but again very preliminary into our investigation.
And I do not know whether or not the subject fired at law enforcement in this case." Reinoehl had provided security for Black Lives Matter protests in Portland.
In social media posts he described himself as a military veteran and anti-fascist.
But he was allegedly involved in the shooting of 39-year-old Aaron Danielson on Saturday night, according to the U.S. Marshals.
Danielson was among a caravan of right-wing counter-protesters who rode pickup trucks into downtown and clashed with the other side.
Reinoehl died only hours after Vice News broadcast a video in which he appeared to admit he shot Danielson, and said he acted in self-defense, fearing for his life and the life of a friend of color.
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