"I Acted in Self-Defense": Portland Murder Suspect Makes First Public Appearance After Deadly Shooting

The suspect in last weekend’s murder of Aaron “Jay” Danielson says he acted in self defense when he fired on the “Patriot Prayer” supporter.

In an interview with freelance journalist Donovan Farley provided to VICE News, 48-year-old Michael Forest Reinoehl – a former military contractor and father of two who claims to be “100% Antifa” – says he was providing “security” at Black Lives Matter protests, when he says he believes he and a friend were about to be stabbed.

“You know, lots of lawyers suggest that I shouldn’t even be saying anything, but I feel it’s important that the world at least gets a little bit of what’s really going on,” says Reinoehl.

“I had no choice — I mean, I had a choice. I could have sat there and watched them kill a friend of mine of color. But I wasn’t going to do that.”

Reinoehl has not been arrested or charged, and Portland police declined to say if he is the target of its investigation into the killing of Aaron “Jay” Danielson, who was taking part in a pro-Trump rally with an estimated 600 trucks winding through the city that night. But in a conversation with freelance journalist Donovan Farley provided to VICE News and airing in full Thursday night, Reinoehl said he believed he and a friend were about to be stabbed, and that he acted in self defense. -Vice

The full interview will air Thursday night. See preview below:

Now watch and listen to what happened:

– We've got one right here! We've got a couple of them right here!

– Right here?

Bang! Bang!

It was an execution.

The blood of this man is on the head of feckless leftist leaders like Ted Wheeler! What did he thing was going to happen after 100 days of violence and chaos?

— James M. Cain (@dmcparson) August 30, 2020