PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – With Benjamin Smith now facing second-degree murder and various other charges, we continue to get a clearer look at what led up to the deadly shooting that occurred at Normandale Park on Saturday.
A roommate of the suspect told KOIN 6 Smith was “radicalized” — and explained he had become more “right-wing over the past few years.”
In a statement, the roommate went on to say, “All of us who live in this apartment complex are shocked and heartbroken but none of us are surprised because he’s been talking about wanting to do something like this for a while.”
Dr. Randy Blazak, with the Oregon Coalition Against Hate Crimes, spoke with AM Extra Wednesday morning, saying there is a lot of tension in the community and country right now.
“There’s also been an attempt to kind of radicalize people, indirectly, not you know, in person, but online and through social media, to create this division that we have, and we’re, seeing that, you know, all over the country, but I think we saw it kind of play out in the worst possible way on Saturday in which people are kind of being turned against each other,” Blazak said.
An affidavit states investigators believe Smith confronted a group of people who were demonstrating at Normandale Park in Northeast Portland sometime between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. The court document says he yelled at the people gathered and told them to leave the park.
Participants reportedly told Smith to leave, but he refused and instead approached a participant “aggressively,” investigators said. They said he continued to yell at the crowd, then pulled out a handgun and fired at several people, striking five of them.
Officials say Smith’s shooting ended when he was shot in the hip. He and four other injured people were taken to the hospital.
Police say Brandy “June” Knightly, 60, was shot at close range and died at the scene. Her friends describe her as a sweet and loving woman.
The DA’s Office told KOIN 6 someone was arrested at the scene other than Smith, but they gave that person a “no complaint” after reviewing the facts.
At this time, the office cannot confirm that person fired a gun.