Man facing murder, other charges in shooting at Oregon protest

Oregon authorities said a man accused of killing one person and wounding five others at a protest is facing charges, including murder.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office in a statement on Tuesday said that it filed nine charges against Benjamin Smith, including one count of second-degree murder and four counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree. 

Smith on Saturday allegedly confronted a group of demonstrators protesting the death of Amir Locke, a Minneapolis Black man whom authorities fatally shot while carrying out a “no-knock” warrant last month.

Smith told the group of protesters at Portland’s Normandale Park to leave the area. 

“Smith approached several participants, yelling at them to leave the park. Several participants asked Smith to leave them alone,” the office said in its statement. “Moments later, Smith drew a firearm and fired at the crowd, striking five people. 

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said the shooting ended when Smith was shot in his hip after someone else returned fire. Smith was then rushed to a nearby medical facility where he remains under critical condition. 

This comes as one individual was pronounced dead at the scene and four others were transported to nearby medical facilities to treat various injures they sustained from the incident. 

In a separate statement, the Portland Police Bureau identified the deceased victim in the shooting as 60-year-old Brandy Knight, saying that it has notified Knight’s family of her death. 

Smith, 43, is expected to survive from his injuries, the statement noted.