Protest clash in Portland leaves 1 dead
PORTLAND, Ore. — A fatal shooting during a night of political conflict in Portland, Ore., has yet again escalated tensions in the city and further inflamed the issues of crime, protest and race that President Donald Trump is trying to make a focus of presidential politics.
A man affiliated with a rightwing group was shot and killed Saturday as a large group of supporters of Mr. Trump traveled in a caravan through downtown Portland, which has seen nightly protests for three consecutive months.
The pro- Trump rally drew hundreds of trucks full of supporters into the city. At times, Trump supporters and counterprotesters clashed on the streets, with Trump supporters shooting paintball guns from the beds of pickup trucks and protesters throwing objects back at them.
Coming on the heels of the fatal shooting of two protesters and the wounding of a third in Kenosha, Wis., on Tuesday night, the incident was an ominous sign amid an escalation of weaponry and of rhetoric as protests of police violence and presidential politics merge.
Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, on Sunday left open the potential to surge federal law enforcement to quell unrest in Portland.
During an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Mr. Wolf said “all options continue to be on the table” to deploy more federal agents to Portland, despite the strong opposition of local leaders who say such tactical teams have only heightened tension in the protests.
Mayor Ted Wheeler said the shooting left his heart heavy, and he denounced violence. But he pointed to the combative and unyielding rhetoric of Mr. Trump as a generator of the nation’s escalating polarization and violence. In a news conference, he called on the president to work with him and others to help de- escalate tensions.
“We need to reset. The president needs to reset. I need to reset. This community needs to reset. And America needs to reset,” the mayor said. “It’s going to take his leadership in the White House, and it’s going to take my leadership here in City Hall.”
But Mr. Trump appeared to respond live on Twitter to the mayor’s remarks, mocking Mr. Wheeler and calling him “wacky” and a “dummy.”
“He would like to blame me and the Federal Government for going in, but he hasn’t seen anything yet,” Mr. Trump wrote.
A video that purports to be of the Saturday night shooting in Portland, taken from the far side of the street, showed a small group of people in the road outside what appears to be a parking garage. Gunfire erupts, and a man collapses in the street.
The man who was shot and killed was wearing a hat with the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a far- right group based in the Portland area that has clashed with protesters in the past.
Patriot Prayer founder and head Joey Gibson identified the victim as Aaron “Jay” Danielson. He called the victim a “good friend” but provided no further details. Mr. Danielson apparently also went by the name Jay Bishop, according to Patriot Prayer’s Facebook page.
“We love Jay and he had such a huge heart. God bless him and the life he lived,” Mr. Gibson wrote in a Facebook post.
Mr. Trump retweeted the victim’s name and wrote, “Rest in peace Jay!”
The Portland Police Bureau said officers heard reports of gunfire shortly before 9 p. m. and found a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. It was determined that the victim had died. They did not release any information about a possible gunman.
“This violence is completely unacceptable, and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible,” police Chief Chuck Lovell said early Sunday.
Mr. Trump reiterated his call that the National Guard should be brought in to Portland, saying people want law and order.
“They want Safety & Security, and do NOT want to Defund our Police!” the president tweeted Sunday.