Michael Reinoehl

Anti-fascist activist as well as a professional snowboarder and an Army veteran, and construction contractor.

In the wake of a rash of white supremacist and neo-Nazi terrorist attacks on anti-racist protesters, Reinoehl began volunteering to protect demonstrators, and on one occasion was shot in the arm by a right-winger. On August 29, Reinoehl stated that he believed a far-right activist, who was armed with a gun, bear spray and a baton, was threatening Black Lives Matter protesters. Reinoehl recounted to Vice News that he had "no choice" but to shoot the activist in self-defence, which he did, killing him. Rather than arrest Reinoehl, agents from the US Marshals Service fired dozens of bullets at him, hitting him at least three times. While officers claimed that Reinoehl had shot at them, over 20 witnesses stated that marshals didn't identify themselves or give any instructions, and instead just started shooting.

Then-president Donald Trump celebrated the killing, declaring "We got him" to an applauding crowd, and praising the act as "retribution". He stated that marshals "knew who he was. They didn’t want to arrest him, and 15 minutes [later], that ended."

An official investigation later determined that Reinoehl never drew a weapon on officers, and one deputy later admitted that he thought he was being shot at because his car window was shot by other officers. However, the investigating prosecutor still claimed that the killing was "justified". In contrast, when a far-right activist shot three Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and later claimed self-defence, police let him leave the area. He was later arrested, put on trial and acquitted of all charges.