By Portland Medium Staff
A man accused of shooting 5 people at Portland protest pleads not guilty. He is accused of killing a woman and shooting four other people during a Feb. 19 racial justice protest. He was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Benjamin Smith, 43, was charged with one count of murder, four counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault with a firearm.
Smith’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 5.
Smith is a reported racist. His roommate said Smith had become more radicalized starting in the later years of the Obama administration. He was heard yelling racial slurs in his room and also deriding women.
According to witnesses and an affidavit, Smith confronted a group of people directing traffic away from a racial justice demonstration at Normandale Park in Northeast Portland. He yelled at them to leave the area.
In the tragic encounter one died while four others were injured. Court records don’t identify the other victims, however, a Feb. 22 affidavit said one victim was shot in the neck, paralyzing them from the neck down. A second victim was shot multiple times and hospitalized, while two other victims were treated and released.
According to the affidavit, Smith was also shot in the hip after he began shooting at the protesters. Smith is receiving medical treatment. Based on witness accounts at the time and court records, someone in the crowd shot Smith. Police said that Smith was discharged from Oregon Health and Science University and booked into Multnomah County jail.
