Police in the United States have shot and killed a 48-year-old man as they moved in to arrest him over the fatal shooting of a right-wing activist in Portland, Oregon, last weekend, officials said.
Michael Reinoehl - described as an anti-fascist activist - was wanted on a charge of murder when members of a fugitive task force shot him dead in Olympia, Washington after he left an apartment building and got in a car, according to police.
"The suspect produced a firearm, threatening the lives of law enforcement officers," a US Marshals Service spokesman said in a statement. "Task force members responded to the threat."
Thurston County Sheriff's Office, which is responsible for investigating the incident, said it had not confirmed that Mr Reinoehl was armed or whether he fired any shots.
"There were shots that were fired from the task force into that vehicle and the suspect fled from the vehicle on foot and there were additional shots that were fired," said Lt Ray Brady of the Sheriff's Office.
Portland Police had issued a warrant for Mr Reinoehl's arrest and asked the US Marshals to locate him.
One bystander said: "I tell, if you all would have heard it, it sounded like fireworks it was that many shots."
Mr Reinoehl, who had provided security for Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, was allegedly involved in the shooting of Aaron Danielson on Saturday night, the US Marshal's Service said.
The 39-year-old was among the supporters of President Donald Trump who rode in pickup trucks into downtown Portland and clashed with protesters demonstrating against racial injustice and police brutality.
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Portland has seen escalating clashes between right and left-wing groups in recent weeks following nearly 100 days of protests since George Floyd, a black man, died in Minneapolis on 25 May after a white police officer knelt on his neck.
Mr Reinoehl died only hours after Vice News broadcast a video in which he appeared to admit he shot Mr Danielson and said he acted in self-defence when a knife was pulled on him.
"I had no choice. I mean, I, I had a choice. I could have sat there and watched them kill a friend of mine of colour. But I wasn't going to do that," he said in the video.
President Trump demanded yesterday that police arrest Mr 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!," he tweeted.
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
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020
