Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky, Candles are lit during a vigil for Aidan Ellison at the Jackson County Justice building in downtown Medford, Ore., Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. An Oregon man displaced by one of the states devastating wildfires was charged with killing a man at a motel he was temporarily living in, according to a report. person. And, Is there "good journalism" in the Rogue Valley? Weve just had conversations about how dangerous that is calling the police on a Black person for basic things like playing music too loud, Edmonds said. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Catalina Gaitn | The Oregonian/OregonLive, murder charge stemming from the shooting death of a Black teenager. order against him when they lived in Coos County. I dont think hes safe with A Warner Bros. will find justice. The only thing that caused this murder was suspect's actions, 100%. On Wednesday evening, a crowd of people stood on a lawn outside the Jackson County Justice Building in nearby Medford for a vigil for Ellison. Yes! A candlelit vigil to remember Ellison was held at the Stratford Inn parking lot Thursday night. Keegan is facing four criminal counts, including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, reckless endangering and unlawful. Everyday I was with him, I felt Its not just about a racist person, but about structure, policy and things that allow the marginalization and unfair criminalization of Black people.. And thus far has managed to turn it all into the *Blame the Victim Game* as much as possible. According to Oregon Live, Police Chief O'Meara responded to the criticism in a statement on Thursday: "It has been reported in some local media sources that I said this murder was 'because of' something. Three days after the killing, Chief OMeara issued a statement seeking to clarify remarks attributed to him in some news accounts of the shooting. I must have hope for the family of Aidan Ellison, that they heal from this murder. abuse continued. A man in Oregon fatally shot a teenager Thanksgiving week after getting upset that the 19-year-old was playing music loudly in the parking lot of an inn that the two were staying at, police said. Keegan was staying at the inn because he was among those displaced by the Almeda Drive wildfire, which killed two people and tore through hundreds of homes, according to OMeara. He pleaded not guilty to all. Mr. Keegan was being held without bail in the Jackson County Jail, according to jail records. Hoppins said shes contacted the Robert Keegan, 47, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, reckless endangering, and unlawful weapons possession in connection with the death of 19-year-old Aidan Ellison, the Ashland Police Department said in a news release. Trump says he's heading to Georgia to campaign for GOP sen Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Murdaugh son collapsed outside court after sitting stone-faced through dad's 6-week murder trial: source, Harry and Meghan hold the upper hand on King Charles coronation: Source, Hated Tom Sandoval addresses Ariana Madix split amid cheating claims, Kelly Osbourne posts first photo of baby son as he hangs out with uncle Jack, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. While media At his trial, Mr. Dunn testified that he fired only after Mr. Davis pointed a shotgun at him. We've received your submission. TzadhiI Masji Burt, 19, said that he was close friends with Mr. Ellison and that they had both experienced homelessness in Ashland. In keeping with the Shakespeare theme, many of the communitys buildings have Tudor-style architecture. And unfortunately, Aidans murder is just an example of why that is the case.. In response, Keegan claimed he backed up, racked a round, and shot Ellison in the chest because he was in fear for his personal safety, according to the affidavit. A man who fatally shot a Black teenager at an Oregon hotel during a fight over loud music claims the killing was in self-defensebut the young mans autopsy tells a different story, according to newly released court documents. Keegan routinely violated the restraining order and the physical and emotional The only thing that caused this murder was the suspects actions, 100%. Hes just the sort of slime who The shooting has drawn condemnation from Southern Oregons Black community, which raised concerns about the areas culture and history of white supremacy. He is currently being held without bail at the Jackson County Jail and is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in Ellisons death. The only thing that caused this murder was suspects actions, 100%. Keegan claimed Ellison punched him in the face and that he fired in self-defense, according to court records. I suffered years of his incessant screaming how he's having another mental breakdown. But that's the narrative, that's the frame of white supremacy," Edmonds said. Robert Paul Keegan, 47, of Talent, entered the plea Friday to charges including second-degree murder in the fatal Nov. 23 shooting of 19-year-old Aidan Ellison, according to the Jackson County District Attorneys Office. I want to do whatever I can with the police department to navigate our marginalized community member relationships and find a way through this.. Benjamin Lull, a deputy Jackson County district attorney, said the killing was still being investigated and declined to discuss it in detail. . Mr. Lull said Mr. Keegan did not have a lawyer assigned to his case. His lawyer did not immediately return The Daily Beasts request for comment. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR. The death of Aidan Ellison, 19, added another name to the list of Black men and women whose killings have sparked a nationwide reckoning with racism and fueled a surge in a Black Lives Matter movement. However, no shotgun was ever found and witnesses say they never saw one. Hoppins said Keegan might have a A lobby group headed by former Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona, who survived being shot in the head in 2011, called the slaying senseless.. He is being held without bail after pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, manslaughter and other charges.- ADVERTISEMENT -https://s.yimg.com/rq/darla/4-6-/html/r-sf-flx.html Edmonds said her organization also challenges comments from those who say Keegan should have called the police instead of acting on his own. times he threatened to shoot me. Ellison was reportedly in the Ashland's Stratford Inn parking lot and listening to music. . didn't have a concealed weapon permit) and recklessly endangering another Keegan, 47, is from the nearby small town of Talent, which was heavily damaged in a wildfire in September. Ellisons death. Little information was immediately available about Ellison himself. Keegan; Robert Keegan; Oregon; Ashland; Robert Keegan in Ashland, OR Robert Keegan may also have lived outside of Ashland, such as Jacksonville, Roseburg and 2 other cities in Oregon. While a GoFundMe account in Sprinkled with cafes and trendy restaurants, Ashland is considered a hip town in a conservative part of Oregon. Hoppins said she grieves over Keegan was staying at. It doesnt change a thing, how good the man who shot him was. The shooting occurred at the Stratford Inn hotel where both were staying on Monday after Keegan confronted the teen about the volume of his music. If you search him on https://webportal.courts.oregon.gov/portal/You can see the court mandated classes for domestic violence and the no contact order. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Robert P Keegan, 49. OMeara clarified his comments about Keegans alleged motive on Thursday, saying the only thing that caused Ellisons death was the suspects actions. His ex-wife Amy Jo Hoppins is one And I hope this story will receive mainstream coverage not from the perspective of a helpless fire victim, but a racist hate crime that decimated a community. I have scars all over my body that are visible damage from Robert Paul Keegan's sadistic abuse of me. Bobs a violent man. To be clear, Aidan was murdered because he was a young black person who made a white man uncomfortable and refused to submit to that mans personally-perceived authority not because he was listening to music too loudly, the Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activists and Community Coalition (SOBLACC) said in a statement. Gun control advocacy group Oregon Moms Demand Action released a statement Saturday highlighting a 2020 statistic showing Black Oregonians are dying of gun homicide at five times the rate of white Oregonians. Robert Paul Keegan, 47 . On Nov. 23, Robert Keegan fired a single shot into Ellison's chest after complaining about the music late at night in a motel parking lot. would do that, they said. somewhere safe from them.. and take my phone and car keys, she said. On Nov. 23, Robert Keegan fired a single shot into Ellisons chest after complaining about the music late at night in a motel parking lot. Theyre just as bad as he is. Im certain of it. Sara Jones, Ellisons roommate, told ABC 12 that Aidan had the kindest kind of soul and that he was a good kid. and told them about her past with Keegan. His 3-year-old son was in their hotel room at the time of the shooting and was handed over to his grandparents when his father was arrested, OMeara said. The fatal shooting of Ellison, a young Black man, by Robert Keegan, a . All Rights Reserved. I hope they lock up (Keegan) for Consequently the state has a disproportionately low Black population compared with much of the rest of the United States. (Keegans) family, she said. I was strangled, suffocated and hit. My son, when we do talk, has told me about Bob One anonymous source claimed they In 2014, a jury rejected Mr. Dunns self-defense claim and convicted him of first-degree murder. Mr. Davis was hit three times and died in the car. "He was listening to his music too loudly that's irrelevant," Precious Edmonds, a representative of Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activists, and Community Coalition told Oregon Live. He is being held without bond at Jackson County Jail. On Nov. 23, Robert Keegan fired a single shot into Ellison's chest after complaining about the music late at night in a motel parking lot. life, she said. People getting violent with each other for such stupid reasons., Mr. Keegan was arrested at the scene and was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, unlawful possession of a weapon and recklessly endangering another person, according to court records. It was utterly senseless, didnt need to happen, people getting violent with each other for such stupid reasons, OMeara said, NBC reports. I want them to know He is being held without bail after pleading not. Yes, hes that crazed. Facebook posts from some Ashland Black Lives Matter groups said there would be a vigil for the teen on Thursday, at the site where he was killed. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Got a tip? It is completely immaterial what led up to it, Ashland Police Chief Tighe OMeara said in a Thursday statement. Discovery Company. At around 4:20 a.m. Monday, Keegan, for it, she said. them.. SALEM, Ore. (AP) The killing of a young Black man last month by a white man who complained that he was playing loud music has roiled Ashland, Oregon, forcing the liberal college town that is famous for its Shakespeare festival to take a hard look at race relations. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider She has been waging a fight to get custody of her son Black activists in Ashland say the killing has exposed the towns undercurrent of racism. The shooting took place in the early-morning hours of Nov. 23 at the Stratford Inn in Ashland, Ore., about 180 miles south of Eugene, the police said. Keegans lawyer did not respond to CNNs request for comment. The fact that Keegan armed himself and went out to confront someone is a major red flag. The Stratford Inn in Ashland, Ore., where the police said a teenager was fatally shot after another guest confronted him about loud music. Ms. Hopkins, as an alleged victim of spousal abuse, deserves a voice -- as does Aidan Ellison. Lived . Robert Keegen has been charged with murder in the shooting of an Oregon teen Tonya Pendleton | Nov 27, 2020 Loading the player. He has 22 years of experience. OMeara said on Facebook that the pair had argued over Ellisons blaring music prior to the deadly shooting, but the post has since been deleted, The Oregonian reported. It happened because the suspect chose to bring a gun with him and chose to use it, 100% on him, not the poor young man that was murdered., He also told CNN the shooting was utterly senseless., Didnt need to happen, he said. Robert Keegan, 47, has been charged with his murder. SALEM, Ore. (AP) The killing of a young Black man last month by a white man who complained that he was playing loud music has roiled Ashland, Oregon, forcing the liberal college town that is famous for its Shakespeare festival to take a hard look at race relations. of them. She has also ASHLAND, Ore. An Oregon man has been arrested and charged in the fatal shooting of a Black 19-year-old following what authorities described as a dispute over loud music. and, ever since, the threats have continued.