Suspected Portland shooter Michael Reinoehl’s sister ‘relieved and also disappointed’ US Marshals killed him
Portland shooting suspect Michael Forest Reinoehl's sister, in a statement on Thursday, September 3, said that she was "relieved and also disappointed" by her brother's death. April Reinoehl, a 36-year-old teacher, also fears that her brother's death would now spark a fresh wave of violence in the region. She added that she knew her brother's death was only a matter of time, however, she was shocked when she learned that it was a US Marshals task force that shot him dead and not right-wing supporters.
"I wouldn’t say at this point that this counts as bad news. It’s just more news," she told the Daily Mail. "Honestly I didn’t expect it to be the police, I expected it to be the people who had a contract out for him. I was expecting the angry population of people who were out for blood." April now expects that more violence will ensue after her brother's demise. Reinoehl's sister was reportedly estranged from him.
"Now we’ve got two martyrs. That’s how the two opposing sides are going to want to spin it," April said, referring to the Trump supporter, Aaron 'Jay' Danielson, whom Michael allegedly shot and killed during the Portland protests last week. "Hatred begets hatred. Anybody who saw him, in their eyes, standing up for the plight of the Black people, being killed by a police officer, this is going to validate their feelings in their minds of all the anger that they have — whether or not it’s correct or righteous," she continued.
The mother of two, in her statement to the outlet, also described her brother as an "impulsive" person who let his "worst emotions guide his actions." She added that he later attempted to rationalize his actions and would not go down without a fight. "So I’m not surprised he got himself killed. I’m surprised a police officer did it. I’m relieved and also disappointed by that," April continued. "At least it wasn’t vigilante justice that got him, because I think that would actually be worse. It would feed the violence a lot more. But at the same time, 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."
According to witnesses at the deadly protest in Portland last week, Michael exchanged gunfire with federal officials using what appeared to be an assault rifle outside his apartment complex in Washington. Four officers ultimately opened fire, which resulted in Michael's death. Reports stated that the US Marshals task force was attempting to arrest Michael on a warrant issued out of Portland that day.
April also told the outlet that she was mourning her elder brother's death although she barely knew him, and was worried about his two children. “I’m pretty sure they’re already both pretty thoroughly devastated,” she said. “I don’t imagine they’re going to take it well." The 36-year-old was the one who identified her brother to police after the Portland shooting.