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Update on Portland Antifa Shooting
There is new information available about the August 30 killing of Patriot Prayer and Trump supporter Aaron Danielson by Antifa member Michael Reinoehl. As previously reported (here), Reinoehl was killed by federal marshals on September 3, as they attempted to execute an arrest warrant.
The authorities have released the charging documents, which include police affidavits supporting the arrest warrant and search warrant (of his residence). You can read them here.
It is undisputed that Reinoehl shot and killed Danielson. Reinoehl claims that he acted in self-defense, and the Danielson was armed with mace and a knife. My prior impression was that the self-defense claim was weak, and the new report reinforces that impression, though we still do not know whether there was a prior confrontation that might change the context of the event.
Danielson, the victim, was armed — heavily armed. He had a loaded semi-automatic handgun (more details below), but it appears that it remained holstered. He was carrying a can of “Bear Attack Deterrent” in his right hand, and an expandable baton in his left hand. There is no mention of finding a knife.
In an interview before his death (here), Reinoehl claimed that Danielson threatened him with a knife, and that “he [Danielson] would have maced or stabbed me.” This indicates that Reinoehl did not know that Danielson had a gun.
There is a video circulating in which the videographer mentions that “mace” had been discharged (he felt the effect in his eyes, if I remember correctly). The police affidavit does not suggest that Danielson discharged the “Bear Attack Deterrent” that he was carrying. To the contrary, it appears that the can was hit by one of Reinoehl’s shots, as it had damage consistent with a bullet. The video shows a cloud appearing when the shots were fired, and I wouldn’t expect a bear repellent to spray in that way (as it would affect the sprayer as well as the hypothetical bear).
The police affidavit states that an officer removed a holstered Glock 17 from Danielson’s waistband, and that EMTs observed a holstered firearm while treating him. This strongly suggests that Danielson did not draw his gun.
The Model 17 is Glock’s standard-size 9mm pistol. The standard magazine holds 17 rounds, and extended magazines are available. Danielson’s gun had a fully-loaded 19-round magazine, plus a chambered round, for a total of 20. This was the maximum capacity of the gun, with that particular magazine, indicating that it had not been fired. Danielson had three additional fully loaded 9mm magazines in his pockets.
There is video showing Reinoehl accompanied by another male (possibly Hispanic), and a white female, shortly before the shooting. They are not identified. There is a witness report of a confrontation between Danielson, a friend of his (named Chandler Pappas), and three black men, in which one of the black men said “we’re going to [expletive] kill you.” Other witness reports describe a black man saying “hey there’s the guy.”
One other interesting detail. In typical fashion, some media outlets have described the murderous Antifa terrorist Reinoehl as a “father.” Here’s the rest of the story.
On July 5, Portland police charged Reinoehl with having a loaded firearm in public, resisting arrest, and interfering with a public safety officer. They confiscated a Walther 9mm semi-auto handgun from him. After Reinoehl shot Danielson, another officer tracked down Reinoehl’s son, Devin, and seized his phone (reportedly with consent). One of the texts on August 7, from a contact labeled “Dad,” stated:
Sell me the gun for a quarter pound of weed and $100 i’m getting tired of this [expletive] I need a piece now
What a lovely family. Sweet, loving daddy Reinoehl wants to buy a gun from his innocent little boy, for a hundred bucks and some weed.
I actually don’t object to the buying the gun part — it is perfectly reasonable to buy a gun from a family member, and there’s no evidence that Reinoehl was not permitted to possess a gun. The weed part kinda spoils the whole family-man thing for me.
My final takeaway is to be careful out there. Having heavily armed Antifa/BLM protestors/rioters, and heavily armed pro-Trump counter-protesters, is inherently dangerous. It’s a free country, and people have a right to bear arms, but there is a downside to our approach.
Danielson was seriously ready for trouble. Even on the rare occasions when I carry, I do not chamber a round. Even if I did, I’d be very unlikely to then eject the magazine and insert an additional round. The Glock 17 does not have a separate safety. (It has a safety on the trigger, which prevents accidental discharge if the gun is dropped, but there is no separate safety button or lever.)
It would have taken Danielson probably a second, at most, to draw and unload 20 rounds of 9mm. And he had three more magazines in his cargo pockets.
But it didn’t save him.
BLM delenda est. Antifa delenda est.
Published in Policing
The analysis of the cameraman’s actions is somewhat compelling. I didn’t see anything I could identify, and I can’t be sure who is yelling.
Update: There’s a long interview with the cameraman here. I’m trying to get thru it, but it’s difficult. I don’t have it in me to trace thru this degree of corruption.
I’ll diverge from the author’s main intent here to point out gigantic holes in the anti-civil rights narrative that seeks to disarm the average person. Here we have one man who was arrested and potentially was awaiting trial whose gun was removed by police. Upon release he then seeks to murder someone and commits violation of US Code (Federal law) and likely state law despite surely being barred of possession as a known user of proscribed drugs and likely as one awaiting trial for a significant offense. Further, the son knowing this then commits two further criminal acts by selling the gun to a known drug user and also engaging in the sale of forbidden drugs. Those laws didn’t do a thing to stop these guys or provide any safety to the general public. Maybe the fed will arrest the son and prosecute him seeking the 10 year sentence due, but I doubt it.
Just a few observations: 1) having a gun with you does not make you bullet proof, be aware of your specific current situation and act accordingly and 2) the best way to win a gun fight is to be somewhere else when the fight occurs. Generally, if you or yours aren’t being threatened don’t be there unless you have to.
No kidding. Here’s a link to another analysis:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1302365375640739840.html
The bottom line of this analysis: Danielson’s preparations and mindset did not include being the target of a death squad. He may have felt somewhat secure in that he was not in the midst of a hot riot when he was murdered.
If the analyis is correct (any comments, @bossmongo?) a new phase of the revolution has kicked off.
Very good summation @arizonapatriot. I do differ in regard to the carrying condition of auto pistols. If there is not a round in the chamber you are carrying a paper weight. The physical and psychological disruptions that follow an adrenaline dump are such that trying to chamber a round under duress can result in fumbling that action. It is difficult enough to draw, present, squeeze trigger with out adding an extra step. Just my $.02.
Most people approach the decision to carry with some trepidation, and rightly so. One must ask oneself several questions, among which is whether one is competent to use the tool under stress. If one does not have positive reasons, based on performance, to trust himself to carry the pistol loaded and ready for use, then the answer must be “No. I shall get a revolver instead.”
I agree that we have entered a new phase, and it was entirely predictable. If we don’t take out the trash, vermin grow. If we still don’t clean up, there’ll be disease. Untreated wounds fester. Blue city governments have provided nice warm petri vats for dozens of strains to crossbreed.
Thank you for those comments. Since the Dem governors and Mayors, and the President himself have not intervened to see to it that Americans in areas where the rioters spread murder and mayhem are protected in any way whatsoever, someone has to step up.
I stand with the Patriot Prayer people as they are exactly what is needed.
Their message is one of standing up for your beliefs, as well as not allowing people or private property to be ground beneath the heel of the rioters. They also look out for each other.
They also brag about their desire to discuss issues with people on the other side of things – something that I actually find to be braver right now than standing round with a loaded weapon and waiting for an Anti Fa thug to come too close.
Okay, that’s better. But I am still a fan of a double-action pistol, with a safety, and one in the chamber. Frankly, I still can’t get comfortable with a Glock and the whole trigger safety thing. And of course, I still remember a rookie cop who shot himself in the foot practicing quick drawing his Glock. Right through his new Corfams. He was alright but embarrassed. I just can’t see that happening with a double action, even with the safety off.
I’m working on the transition to striker. But even my regular DA/SA doesn’t have a manual safety.