August 20, 2020
(PORTLAND, Ore.) – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that 27-year-old Skyler Noel Jernigan is being charged for allegedly shooting a firearm from a moving vehicle in downtown over the weekend after attending a protest/demonstration. No injuries have been reported to police.
Jernigan is charged with four counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of menacing, two counts of recklessly endangering and two counts of discharging a firearm in city limits.
It is alleged that on August 15, 2020 a “Stand Up to Domestic Terrorism” flag waving event took place in downtown Portland. There was a group of people who were later identified as “counter protestors,” according to court documents. Police recognized Jernigan as one of the individuals associated with the group.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 15, some of the individuals associated with the flag waiving event started leaving and returned to their parked vehicles along Southwest 4th Avenue, according to court documents.
Both groups were “actively engaging” each other. Police determined the flag waving group appeared to be following the group Jernigan associated with, according to court documents.
According to court documents, police obtained and reviewed video of Jernigan driving his vehicle out of a parking garage. The video shows Jernigan pointing a handgun out from the driver’s side window, leveling the gun and firing two rounds. Jernigan continued to drive away from the parking garage.
On August 19, 2020, the Portland Police Bureau arrested Jernigan. During a police interview, Jernigan admitted he fired two rounds while leaving the garage. He further explained that when he heard an object hit his car he reacted by shooting his 9 mm handgun out the driver’s side window in an attempt to scare people, according to court documents.
Jernigan told police he was concerned he may have actually shot someone, records state.
During the incident, there were multiple people and buildings in the direction in which the shots were fired.
During the search warrant, police recovered Jernigan’s 9 mm handgun, according to court documents.
No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time.
A charging document is only an accusation of a crime. Jernigan is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
#MCDA#
Media Contact:
Brent Weisberg, Communications Director
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Email: Brent.Weisberg@nullmcda.us