海角大神

A supporter of a right-wing group who was shot dead on a Portland, Oregon, street was mourned by both friends and President Donald Trump as a victim of mob violence while an online fundraising effort raised tens of thousands of dollars in his memory.

Just hours before he was shot in the chest Saturday night, Aaron 鈥淛ay鈥� Danielson and a friend were seen heading downtown to protect a flag-waving caravan of Trump supporters. They wore hats with the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a group that has clashed with left-wing protesters in Portland for years, and appeared armed with knives and paintball guns.

鈥淧aint is a defensive mechanism. Paint is not bullets,鈥� Mr. Trump said during his White House briefing Monday, adding that someone connected with violent protests 鈥渟hot a young gentleman and killed him. Not with paint but with a bullet.鈥�

In cellphone video of the shooting, both Mr. Danielson and his assailant were seen on a darkened street. At least three shots rang out in a smoky haze, followed by images of Mr. Danielson crumpled on the ground as the friend, Chandler Pappas, slaps him in the face and rolls him over, yelling 鈥淛ay! Jay!鈥�

鈥淗e was a good man and he was just killed senselessly for no reason other than he believed something different than they do,鈥� Mr. Pappas told supporters during a rally Sunday. 鈥淗e was 海角大神. He was conservative.鈥�

Added Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson on his Facebook page: 鈥淲e love Jay and he had such a huge heart. God bless him and the life he lived.鈥�

Ex-girlfriend Christine Banks said Monday Mr. Danielson didn鈥檛 discuss politics much but of the weeks-long protests in Portland: 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 think it was right. ... He was there for peace.鈥�

Ms. Banks said Mr. Danielson was a good person who loved nature and animals.

鈥淚f you ask anybody, the one thing they鈥檒l remember him by is his goofy, beautiful smile,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e cared about what you believed in and not the color of your skin.鈥�

A GoFundMe site late Monday said it had raised $33,000 from more than 900 donors for 鈥渓egal/lawyer fees, and towards fulfilling all other incurred costs in this time of need.鈥�

Mr. Danielson, a burly, bearded man, helped run a company in Portland called North West Specialty Moving that focused on transporting heavy items such as marble statues, hot tubs, and gun safes. The company鈥檚 address, which is the same address listed for Mr. Danielson for two parking violations in 2019, is a modest blue bungalow in a residential neighborhood in southwest Portland.

Luke Carrillo, Mr. Danielson鈥檚 long-time business partner, said they鈥檇 been friends for 20 years.

鈥淲e have lived and worked together day in and day out,鈥� he told reporters. 鈥淲e are like brothers, brothers that chose one another.鈥�

Mr. Danielson is associated with another company, Oregon Pro Arms LLC, which according to state records is focused primarily on moving gun safes.

Just hours before the shooting on Saturday, Mr. Pappas stood in a mall parking lot in suburban Clackamas talking to a reporter from the Portland Tribune.

The man next to him who appeared to be Mr. Danielson didn鈥檛 say much, except to make a reference to a journalist who had been attacked last year in Portland.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all about independent journalism,鈥� the man said.

Mr. Pappas at one point interjected, referring to the Trump caravan, 鈥淚鈥檓 here to stop people from assaulting these people.鈥�

Critics have said that instead of keeping the peace, Patriot Prayer has helped incite violence.聽

"Over the past three years, the group has hosted and promoted rallies in progressive cities like Portland, frequently engaging in violence against their political opponents. Patriot Prayer rallies regularly include the Proud Boys, a hate group, and various antigovernment extremist groups," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.聽

Portland police have yet to make an arrest in the case. On Monday, they asked for witnesses and those who had taken video of the scene to contact them.

A small memorial to Mr. Danielson took shape Monday on a sidewalk in front of the parking structure where he collapsed. It included four yellow daises tied to a tree, a small American flag flapping in the wind, and a sympathy card with a Bible verse and handwritten note.

鈥淛ay went to Jesus, where will you go?鈥�

This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Aron Ranen contributed to this report.

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