Court documents detailed the moments before a Donald Trump supporter was slain

Suspect shown reaching; victim was armed, documents say

PORTLAND, Ore. — As unrest continues in Portland amid 100 straight days of protests, authorities released additional court documents late Friday detailing the moments before the slaying of a supporter of President Donald Trump last weekend.

The documents included shots of security footage that showed the suspect, Michael Forest Reinoehl, ducked into a parking garage and reached toward a pocket or pouch at his waist before emerging to follow the victim, Patriot Prayer supporter Aaron “Jay” Danielson.

Danielson was holding bear spray and an expandable baton and had a loaded Glock handgun in a holster at his waist, according to the documents.

The shooting happened moments later and wasn’t captured on security video. Witnesses told police that just before they heard gunshots, someone said something like, “wanna go,” which is frequently a challenge to a fight. Danielson was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

Authorities have said they believe Reinoehl, who was fatally shot by law enforcement officers late Thursday in Washington state, killed Danielson.

The court documents were filed to support second-degree murder charges against Reinoehl, who was a supporter of antifa — shorthand for anti-fascists and an umbrella description for left-leaning militant groups.

In a videotaped interview broadcast the evening of his death by Vice News, Reinoehl came close to admitting he shot Danielson, a supporter of a group called Patriot Prayer, on Aug. 29 after a caravan of President Donald Trump backers drove their pickups through downtown Portland.

He said it was in self-defense because he thought he and a friend were about to be stabbed.

“I hate to say it, but I see a civil war right around the corner,” Reinoehl, with a partially covered tattoo of a raised fist on the right side of his neck, said in the interview.

Late Friday and Saturday morning protests continued in Portland, with police declaring an unlawful assembly and arresting 27 people.

The Portland Police Bureau issued a statement Saturday morning, saying some officers reported that rocks, a full beverage can and water bottles had been thrown at them, prompting police to declare the gathering an unlawful assembly.

Police said one woman who was detained was bleeding from an abrasion on her head, and she was treated by medics at the scene before being transported by an ambulance. The Portland Police Bureau said she jumped out of the ambulance and ran away before it left the scene.

Most of those detained were arrested on suspicion of interfering with a peace officer or disorderly conduct, police said.