Portland Shooting Suspect Identified As Trump Trades Verbal Jabs With Officials

As Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and President Donald Trump went back-and-forth over the weekend following Saturday’s fatal shooting, police have identified a suspect who they say was seen in the area where the right-wing counter-protester was killed, according to oregonlive.com.

Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, was being investigated Monday after police obtained videos and photos of him in the area of the shooting.

Reinoehl described himself on his Instagram as an “anti-fascist” protester who has regularly attended protests in Portland, Oregon, shortly after they began in June. HIs descriptions were attached to images from the protests, including one where he claimed he suffered a wound from a “nasty bean bag shot” during protests on July 3.

He also said he was a professional snowboarder and U.S. Army veteran who “hated” his time in the service. He had three recent addresses in and around Portland, including one in the city’s northern neighborhoods and another in the Portland-suburb of Gresham.

Reports indicate a relative identified Reinoehl from the pictures and videos taken around the area of the city it took place before 9 p.m. Saturday.

The victim, Aaron Danielson. aka Jay Bishop, was a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer and was in Portland as part of the counter-protests. He stayed behind in downtown Portland as the rest of the counter-protesters left the area earlier in the evening.

Witnesses said Danielson was going arguing with another man on the street as the two approached each other. Someone allegedly tried to pepper spray the shooter, who fired twice at Danielson, who was struck in the chest. He was declared dead shortly after police and emergency responders arrived.

It is not clear if Danielson was the person who used the pepper spray and police have not provided additional details as the case remains ongoing.

Saturday’s shooting sparked another heated exchange between Trump and Wheeler after Trump attacked the Portland mayor on Twitter for the shooting.

Trump also offered his condolences for Danielson.

Wheeler responded during a press conference Sunday by saying Trump’s handling of the protests since they began caused the situation to escalate.

“It's you who have created the hate and the division,” Wheeler said as he called for a stop to the violence.

“The tragedy of last night cannot be repeated. It doesn't matter who you are or what your politics are – we have to all stop the violence.”

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown echoed Wheeler, saying Trump’s action and inaction only encouraged further division.

“It happened in Kenosha. And now, unfortunately, it is happening in Portland, Oregon,” Brown said in a press release.

“But despite the President's jeers and tweets, this is a matter of life and death. Whether it's his completely incompetent response to the pandemic, where nearly 200,000 have died, or his outright encouragement of violence in our streets: It should be clear to everyone by now that no one is truly safe with Donald Trump as President.”

Brown has since sent state police into the city to support local authorities as Trump threatens sending federal agents back to Portland.