Michael Reinoehl, 48, resisted arrest, Thursday, as federal agents from the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service located him outside an apartment complex after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was been investigated for shooting and killing a Trump supporter in cold blood during August 29 riots in Portland.
Chad Smith and Chase Cutler, who witnessed the raid on Reinoehl's location, said they were just 150ft away, and told the Olympian that they saw a man open fire and heard 40 or 50 shots from what they believe was a semi-automatic rifle before officers returned fire and shot him dead.
But according to the authorities: "During the encounter, Reinoehl pulled out a gun, threatening the lives of law enforcement officers. Task force members responded to the threat and struck the suspect who was pronounced dead at the scene."
Local officials confirmed that Reinoehl was killed at around 7pm on Thursday in the 7600 block of 3rd Way Southeast in Tanglewilde, a small community outside of Lacey about 55 miles southwest of Seattle.
Lt. Ray Brady of the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said that Reinoehl had exited an apartment and got into a vehicle. “As they attempted to apprehend him, there was gunfire.”
They're are yet to confirm whether Reinoehl fired his weapon.
A Facebook Live video posted by witness Jashon Spencer shows Reinoehl lying on the ground after the shootout.
"I was sitting in my backyard and all I heard was pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. … I come outside and there's a million sheriffs out here, and there’s a dude laying out here by the mailbox and he's bleeding. They hit him," Spencer says.
"You see all of those yellow markings. They're bullets. They let loose on him."
Officers were seen attempting CPR on Reinoehl at the scene.
Few hours before news of the death of Reinoehl broke Vice News published an interview with the Antifa extremist.
In the interview, he falsely claimed he shot Trump supporter Aaron 'Jay' Danielson in self defense, saying, “I had no choice.”
Reacting to the news of her brother's death, April Reinoehl told Daily Mail, "I wouldn't say at this point that this counts as bad news. It's just more news."
"Honestly I didn't expect it to be the police, I expected it to be the people who had a contract out for him," she said. "I was expecting the angry population of people who were out for blood."
According to Daily Mail, April believed her brother would have tried to fight with federal officers sent to catch him fleeing to the small town 120 miles north of Portland.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he reacted badly to a situation just like he reacted badly to the situation at the riots," she said. "So I'm not surprised he got himself killed. I'm surprised a police officer did it."
April said the "nationwide dispute is very highly black people versus officers, and now you have a member of Antifa killed by an officer. So I can imagine things are going to get worse again."
President Trump had earlier in the day Thursday, called for a swift arrest of Michael Reinoehl. "Why aren’t the Portland Police ARRESTING the cold blooded killer of Aaron “Jay” Danielson. Do your job, and do it fast. Everybody knows who this thug is. No wonder Portland is going to hell! @TheJusticeDept @FBI," Trump tweeted.
Aaron 'Jay' Danielson's friend Chandler Pappas who witnessed the shooting during the riots in Portland, told Fox News' Tucker Carlson Thursday, that the killing of his friend was simply an act of hatred.
“I think this country needs a lot of healing,” he said. “I think everything that's going on downtown for the pawns that are down there destroying the city. I think they're just fueled with hatred.”
Remembering his friend, Pappas said, “Anybody who knew Jay knew him by his smile. He was the happiest, like, most compassionate, first-to-buy-you-a-drink kind of guy that you would ever meet. He got along with everybody.”
Attorney General Bill Barr praised the law enforcement action that killed Reinoehl. “Last Saturday, Aaron ‘Jay’ Danielson was shot and killed amid the continuing violence in Portland. Local authorities subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for Michael Forest Reinoehl, a self-described Antifa member suspected of the alleged murder,” Barr said.
“Reinoehl fled to Washington State, where he was located yesterday by members of a fugitive task force led by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and state and local law enforcement partners. When Reinoehl attempted to escape arrest and produced a firearm, he was shot and killed by law enforcement officers.
“The tracking down of Reinoehl — a dangerous fugitive, admitted Antifa member, and suspected murderer — is a significant accomplishment in the ongoing effort to restore law and order to Portland and other cities.
"I applaud the outstanding cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement, particularly the fugitive task force team that located Reinoehl and prevented him from escaping justice. The streets of our cities are safer with this violent agitator removed, and the actions that led to his location are an unmistakable demonstration that the United States will be governed by law, not violent mobs.”