Political Execution in Portland? Media Omits Victim’s Support of Trump, Shooter’s Ties to Antifa.

Aaron Danielson took part in a pro-Trump caravan on Saturday, August 29 organized by the right-leaning Patriot Prayer group.

It appears that for his political beliefs, he was murdered.

The Patriot Prayer group states that it is an advocate for “freedom,” “free speech” and “gun rights.”

On Saturday, nearly 1,000 vehicles displaying their support for President Trump took part in a demonstration that began in Clackamas, Oregon. Their journey took them through Portland, and several fights broke out along the way with counterdemonstrators.

Around 9 PM that evening, Danielson was shot.

Video footage of the murder (warning: graphic content) reveals the potential political motivation for the murder. “Hey! Hey! We got one right here. We got another right here,” someone can be heard yelling. “Right here?” another replies. “Pull it out,” the first person responds, likely referring to the gun.

Two shots then ring out before Danielson stumbles a few steps, and then falls to the ground. A man can be seen sprinting away from the scene in a black hoodie.

Police medics declared Danielson dead at the scene from shots taken to the chest.

According to The New York Times, Danielson may have been identified by the assailants as a part of the Patriot Prayer group because he was wearing a Patriot Prayer hat.

Additionally, journalist Andy Ngo, who reports mainly on the anarchist group Antifa, tweeted on Sunday, “the alleged shooter identified based on videos says he is Antifa in his writings & has been at many of the Portland riots.”

The alleged shooter’s allegiance to Antifa has now been confirmed and reported on by National Review. So far, he has not been arrested.

“They executed my partner. They hunted him down,” Danielson’s friend, Chandler Pappas, told “The Common Sense Conservative.”

“The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an investigation into this death and the decedent has been positively identified as 39-year-old Aaron J. Danielson, of Portland,” the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. “The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office has conducted an autopsy and determined the manner of death to be homicide and the cause of death gunshot wound of chest.”

The media’s coverage of the murder seems to have downplayed the likely political motivation for the execution.

The article on Reuters covering the shooting had this headline: “One shot dead in Portland as rival protesters clash.” The article went so far as to nearly blame the Patriot Prayer group for the shooting. “The man who was shot and killed was wearing a hat with the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a far-right group based in Portland that has clashed with protesters in the past,” the article said.

This was The New York Times’ headline on the murder: “One Person Dead in Portland After Clashes Between Trump Supporters and Protesters.” The first paragraph of the article also insinuates that President Trump may be to blame for the shooting. “A fatal shooting… has further inflamed the issues of crime, protest and race that President Trump is trying to make a focus of presidential politics,” The Times wrote.

The Associated Press’ headline about the shooting said: “Trump, Portland mayor blame each other after deadly shooting.” Not until the fifth paragraph does the article mention that the victim was a member of the group Patriot Prayer.

The murder comes after Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler once again rejected an offer from President Trump for help to quell the 90-day long and counting riots that have taken over the city.

Indeed, Mayor Wheeler again declined President Trump’s offer on August 28, just one day before the fatal shooting of Danielson.

In his letter, Mayor Wheeler referred to the president’s decision to send in federal law enforcement officials to protect a Portland courthouse. “Your offer to repeat that disaster is cynical attempt to stoke fear and distract us from the real work of our city,” Mayor Wheeler said in his letter to President Trump. “Stay away, please.”

Following the deadly, likely politically motivated murder, and three months of riots, one wonders what residents of Portland think about their mayor’s letter now.

You can follow this author on Twitter @MettlerZachary

Photo from REUTERS

 

Visit our Election 2020 page