I’ve been filling in on WMAL in Washington, D.C. during morning drive alongside Vince Coglianese, so my alarm’s been going off a few hours earlier than usual. It was about 3:30 this morning when I read the news that authorities had shot and killed Michael Reinoehl last night outside of Lacey, Washington. A multi-agency fugitive task force went to serve a murder warrant on Reinoehl, but according to Attorney General Bill Barr, when he pulled a gun, officers opened fire, killing him.

Barr went on to say:

“The tracking down of Reinoehl — a dangerous fugitive, admitted Antifa member, and suspected murderer — is a significant accomplishment in the ongoing effort to restore law and order to Portland and other cities. I applaud the outstanding cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement, particularly the fugitive task force team that located Reinoehl and prevented him from escaping justice. The streets of our cities are safer with this violent agitator removed, and the actions that led to his location are an unmistakable demonstration that the United States will be governed by law, not violent mobs.”

Reinoehl’s comrades-in-arms will undoubtably perceive Barr’s statement as a provocation, and as I said in my first post on Reinoehl’s death, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown should call up the National Guard as a proactive measure, because I’ve got a bad feeling about this weekend.

As I show on today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co, some voices on the Left are already trying to turn Michael Reinoehl into some John Brown-type figure; a martyr for the cause of… something. Racial equality? Social justice? Violent revolution? All of the above?

Kyle Rittenhouse walked right by police, was allowed to drive across a state line after murdering two people, then was peacefully apprehended by law enforcement.

Michael Reinoehl acted in self-defense against a fascist and was killed by law enforcement.

See what’s wrong here?

— Petty Is Praxis (@rtyson82) September 4, 2020

Actually, Michael Reinoehl was also allowed to drive across a state line after allegedly murdering people, and could have been peacefully apprehended by law enforcement had he not drawn a gun. And just as Reinoehl said before his death that he acted in self-defense, Kyle Rittenhouse says the same thing. Frankly, I think Rittenhouse has the stronger self-defense claim based on the videos that I’ve seen, but I’m willing to keep an open mind. The Left, however, has already embraced the idea that Reinoehl’s shooting of Aaron Danielson was a righteous killing, and they’re elevating him to sainthood in their secular religion.

Those who actually knew Reinoehl best, however, seem to have a different opinion.

Sister of Portland Antifa gunman Michael Reinoehl reacts to his death: "I wouldn't say at this point that this counts as bad news." – DAILY MAIL

— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) September 4, 2020

Reinoehl’s sister also said in an interview that “He’s the kind of person who should have stayed as far away from the protests as possible, because he’s not the kind of person who could rationally work through that intense environment.”

According to Reinoehl’s sister, most of his family had cut him out of their lives three years ago, after they caught him stealing prescription pills from his mother. She also described him as “having a temper,” and was “easily provoked.” Reinoehl’s fellow revolutionaries are saying nice things about him, but they’re about the only ones.

Reinoehl seems to have lied about much of his life. He said he was a professional snowboarder affiliated with a Portland company called Deviation. They say they’ve never heard of him. He said he was in the army, but hated it. The Army says it can’t find any record of his service.

Then there’s the fact that Reinoehl got his kids involved in his activities. Back in July, when he gave an interview at a protest, his 11-year old daughter was by his side. “The fact is that she is going to be contributing to running this new country that we’re fighting for,” he declared “And she’s going to learn everything on the street, not by what people have said.”

I have no issue with taking kids to peaceful protests, but the demonstrations in Portland were anything but peaceful, and Reinoehl knew that. In fact, during that very same interview Reinoehl showed the reporter his bloody arm and claimed that he had just been shot. Still, Reinoehl viewed what he was doing as a revolutionary act, and even described the violence between the Left and the Right on the streets of Portland as “warfare.” The Left has excoriated the Right for praising a 17-year old going to Kenosha, Wisconsin with a rifle to guard a business that wasn’t his, but they’re ready to canonize a 48-year old man who brought his 11-year old daughter along while he tried to kickstart a revolution.

Michael Reinoehl is neither a martyr nor a saint. His cause was not just, his heart had far too much room for hate, and his death will not spark a revolution, though it may lead to a more broken windows and perhaps even lost lives.