Political Activist Run Down By Car In 2019, Police Say They Arrested A Suspect In The Case

An arrest has been made in connection to the murder of a political activist, years after the victim was run down by a car, police said.

But authorities stressed they do not believe the killing was politically motivated.

On Oct. 15, 2019, police in Portland, Oregon, responded to a homicide at an intersection.

The victim had already left the area and was taken by a private vehicle to the hospital, where he died, police said. The victim had been hit by another vehicle.

The victim was identified as Sean Kaelher, 23. According to the Oregonian, Kaelher was an anti-fascist activist in the area. That spurred rumors that the incident was politically based and conspiracy theories, but police said that wasn’t true.

Though a motive for the killing has not been released. A witness described it as a road rage incident, according to the Oregonian.

Last week, nearly three years later, police said they arrested Christopher Knipe, 47, in connection to the incident. He was charged with second-degree murder and booked into jail.