• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Woman paralyzed by gunman who shot at protesters dies after choosing to be taken off ventilator

Home> News> US News

Updated 21:09 26 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 21:03 26 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Woman paralyzed by gunman who shot at protesters dies after choosing to be taken off ventilator

Tragically the woman requested that her life-support machine was switched off after years of pain

Joe Yates

Joe Yates

A woman who was paralyzed while peacefully protesting the deaths of two Black men who were fatally shot by cops, has died after opting to be taken off life-support.

The woman, known only as 'Deg', chose to be taken off her ventilator, which was keeping her alive, after she was shot in the neck while demonstrating at Normandale Park, in Portland, Oregon, on 19 February, 2022.

The bullet paralysed her from her neck down and so the 32-year-old, who was once an avid hiker, relied on the assistance of caregivers to survive.

Benjamin Smith was sentenced to life in prison. (KGW)
Benjamin Smith was sentenced to life in prison. (KGW)

Advert

Deg passed away on July 1 having asked doctors and close ones to unplug the machine.

Speaking about her daughter's decision to The Oregonian, her mom said: "She had lost so much control.

"This was something that was her decision. I couldn’t argue with her. But we miss her desperately.”

She attended the protest which was formed after 22-year-old Amir Locke, a Black man, was fatally shot on February 2, 2022, by SWAT officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advert

Following his death, it emerged that the police executed a 'no-knock warrant', which meant they entered the home without notice.

The demonstration was also held for 27-year-old Patrick Kimmons, who was also a Black man, was killed by Portland police during a 2018 altercation.

The planned protest was interrupted by gunman Benjamin Smith who unloaded on the demonstration, killing 60-year-old June Knightly with a bullet to the head, and injuring four more - one of which was Deg.

One of the protesters was armed and shot at the 45-year-old hitting Smith near his hip.

Advert

The courts heard how he had expressed hostility towards Antifa, a left-wing anti-fascist and anti-racist political movement, as well as Black Lives Matter, and that he was a Nazi sympathizer, as well as Kyle Rittenhouse.

Deg was peacefully protesting in Portland over the police-involved shooting of  Amir Locke. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Deg was peacefully protesting in Portland over the police-involved shooting of Amir Locke. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

On 25 August, 2020, Rittenhouse travelled 20 miles from his home to attend a protest that had broken out in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Using an AR-15 style rifle, the then 17-year-old shot dead Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, also injuring Gaige Grosskreutz.

Advert

Facing five felony charges, including first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree intentional homicide, Rittenhouse was found not guilty on 19 November, 2021.

Smith plead guilty to second-degree murder and eight other counts, including numerous attempted murder charges, in March 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison.

Smith will be eligible for parole after 55 years.

Speaking about how it affected her life during a victim impact statement, Deg said in April last year: "I really miss the sound of my laugh.

Advert

"My days are entirely driven by my immediate medical needs.”

Featured Image Credit: Nathan Howard/Getty Images / KGW

Topics: Black Lives Matter, US News, Gun Crime, Racism

Joe Yates
Joe Yates

Joe is a journalist for UNILAD, who particularly enjoys writing about crime. He has worked in journalism for five years, and has covered everything from murder trials to celeb news.

X

@JMYjourno

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Ex-pilot of B-2 stealth bomber reveals disturbing truth of going to toilet on 44-hour mission

    Air Force colonel Melvin Deaile had to go for a wee every 60 minutes

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    People left stunned as woman breaks down exactly how much it costs to give birth in America

    You could put deposits down on several houses for that!

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Doctor gives 'deeply concerning' warning after man injected himself with sperm to 'cure back pain'

    A man self-medicated by injecting himself with his own semen to 'cure' his back pain

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Rosie O’Donnell issues scathing response to all the celebrities who attended Jeff Bezos’ $56,000,000 wedding

    "Seeing all these billionaires gathering in the gross excess of it all. The show of it," she wrote on Instagram.

    Celebrity
  • Horrific new body-cam footage shows moment police officer fatally shoots woman who called 911 for help
  • Detective taken by surprise by murderer’s chilling confession after killing wife and in-laws
  • Teen fatally shot by homeowners after viral prank goes horribly wrong
  • Groom shot in the head by masked gunmen during wedding reception