PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Demonstrators at a protest Saturday night in Portland’s Normandale Park told the suspect who opened fire on them to leave before he pulled out his gun, according to an affidavit.
Benjamin Smith, 43 is facing one count of second degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault, count documents from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office state. A circuit court judge signed a warrant for his arrest Tuesday.
According to an affidavit supporting an arrest warrant for Smith, investigators believe he 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 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. Investigators say Smith’s shooting ended when he was shot in the hip.
Portland Police Bureau responded to the incident after receiving reports of “multiple shots fired.” At the scene, they found people trying to provide medical assistance to several other people at the scene and officers learned they had been shot.
Witnesses identified one of the injured people as the shooter, Smith, according to the affidavit.
Police say Brandy Lynn Knightly, 60, was shot at close range in the head and died at the scene. Four other injured people were taken to hospitals.
Investigators say one person was shot in the neck and is now paralyzed from the neck down and currently in critical condition. Another injured person was shot several times, including in the abdomen, and remains in the hospital. A third person was shot multiple times and has been released from the hospital. The fourth victim was shot in the upper arm, was treated and released from a hospital.
The suspect, Smith, was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition. Investigators say the gunshot wound to his hip required surgery. Portland Police Bureau officers have remained with him since he was admitted.
District Attorney Mike Schmidt said investigators have obtained details about what happened through the investigation process and video evidence.
According to social media flyers, the protestors at the park were demanding “justice for Amir Locke and Daunte Wright.” Others were there for Patrick Kimmons.
Portland Police Bureau served a search warrant at Smith’s home late Monday night. According to the warrant, police were looking for guns and ammunition in his apartment.
According to police, critical evidence was taken from the scene before officers could investigate.
Authorities won’t say if they have recovered the weapon used to shoot Smith.