The New York Times has removed references to Michael Reinoehl being a member of Antifa and has painted him as a “family man.” Reinoehl, who called himself “100 percent Antifa,” shot and killed Trump supporter Aaron Danielson on Aug. 29 amid clashes between Black Lives Matter protesters and pro-Trump rallyists in Portland. Days later, U.S. Marshals shot and killed Reinoehl on Sep. 3 while attempting to apprehend him for Danielson’s killing.
In the aforementioned article, the leftist killer was depicted as a family man concerned about the well-being of his 17-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. Reinoehl talked with his friend Tiffanie Wickwire over the telephone one hour before encountering law enforcement officers, as she was helping him set up a GoFundMe page.
Reinoehl’s role as a security team member during demonstrations included intercepting potential agitators and defusing serious situations. People interviewed by the New York Times for the piece on Reinoehl called him as a “guardian angel” who “wanted change so badly.”
Protester Randal McCorke spoke about Reinoehl breaking up fights nightly, adding that his death would likely “galvanize” others to continue fighting for police reform. Reese Monson, a local protest leader who also helps in security duties, lauded Reinoehl’s excellence in deescalating potentially volatile situations. Teal Lindseth, one of the main Portland protest organizers, described him as someone who “would protect you no matter what.”
Reinoehl’s sister paints a different picture
Michael Reinoehl’s sister, however, depicted her brother differently. They have been estranged from each other for a number of years.
She told The Daily Mail in an interview that her brother’s eventual death did not come as a surprise – but she did not expect him to die at the hands of law enforcement. “I expected it to be the people who had a contract out for him … people who were out for blood.”
Reinoehl’s sister added that she would not be surprised if he “reacted badly to a situation” just like how he did so during the Portland riots – citing his history of “letting the worst emotions guide his actions” and trying to rationalize those actions afterwards. She had been telling people that Reinoehl will get himself killed if he doesn’t turn himself in.
Even though Reinoehl’s sister knew that there was nothing she could do to steer the Antifa murderer away from the path he eventually took, she hoped that Reinoehl would “take responsibility for what happened with dignity” despite screwing up. “He was not a monster, but what he did was still wrong.”
She lamented that his death will bring about “more pain” – and with it, more violence and anger.
Antifa shooter “feared arrest”
During his call with Wickwire before meeting his end at the hands of U.S. marshals sent to arrest him, Reinoehl expressed his worry for his two children and his family. Setting up a GoFundMe page was among the plans they talked about to help his family in case he was gone.
Video footage captured at the scene showed Reinoehl firing two shots after someone shouted “We’ve got a Trumper right here!” walking away afterward. VICE Media reported Reinoehl went into hiding after the incident, and evacuated his children to a safe place. Reinoehl had no plans of turning himself in as he believed law enforcement officers colluded with right-wing rallyists and would not protect his family from any reprisals. At the same time, he feared that other right-wing individuals would be “declaring open season” and hunting him down.
Whatever initial fears Reinoehl had seem to have faded days later, as he now remarked in the same VICE Media article that he did not regret his decision of firing at Danielson. He added that any “good human being” would do as he did if the life of anybody they cared about was in danger.
This instance served as solid proof of Reinoehl’s history of impulsive behavior as mentioned by his sister. He shot and killed Danielson while fueled by his “worst emotion” of anger, eventually rationalizing his actions afterward under the guise of necessary self-defense.
Aside from Michael Reinoehl’s murder of Aaron Danielson, there are other cases of Antifa violence in Portland’s Black Lives Matter protests. Marquise Love was captured on video kicking civilian Adam Haner during an Aug. 16 Black Lives Matter protest downtown, leaving Haner with multiple injuries.
A week after Love’s assault, a mob of Antifa and BLM protesters tried to burn down the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct on Aug. 23 to chants of “burn baby, burn.” Police officers managed to extinguish the flames and disperse the mobs.
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