Black teen Aidan Ellison’s autopsy appears to disprove shooter’s defense
The autopsy conducted on Aidan Ellison did not show any signs that he had been in a fight with Robert Paul Keegan
An autopsy conducted on Aidan Ellison doesn’t appear to support the claims of Robert Paul Keegan that he shot and killed the Black teenager in self-defense.
A week after Keegan claimed he killed Ellison in self-defense after an argument over loud music, the results of Ellison’s autopsy contradicted that. The affidavit of the incident was released Monday by Judge Lorenzo A. Mejia.
The findings on the examination of Ellison’s body didn’t show injuries “that would have been indicative of him punching Keegan,” Oregon Live reported. There was no indication a fight took place between Keegan and Ellison.
Read More: Oregon man accused of killing Black teen pleads not guilty
The autopsy declared that Keegan’s bullet from the 9mm handgun he used against Ellison struck his heart and lungs.
As theGrio reported, Keegan, 47, confronted Ellison, 19, at staying at the Stratford Inn in Ashland, Oregon where the two of them had been staying on Nov. 23.
According to the police, Keegan objected to Ellison’s loud music being played in the parking lot and ordered him to turn it down around 4 a.m. Keegan then “collected his gun” and complained further to Angel Carlin, an employee of the Stratford Inn.
Carlin went to speak with Ellison in the parking lot and Keegan followed him. Keegan shot the teenager in the chest and fatally wounded him, claiming he feared for his life.
“Keegan said he backed up, racked a round, and shot Ellison in the chest because he was in fear for his physical safety,” the affidavit reads.
Local leaders have been angered about the reaction since his death. Over $8K was raised on Keegan’s behalf who was staying at the hotel with his son due to being displaced after a fire.
Read More: Oregon teen Aidan Ellison killed over loud music
“The incident where Aidan was shot after an argument listening to his music was really about him not submitting to that man’s perceived authority,” Precious Edmonds, a spokesperson for the Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activists, and Community Coalition (SOBLACC) told Oregon Live last week.
“He was listening to his music too loudly — that’s irrelevant. It doesn’t change a thing, how good the man who shot him was. All of those things are not relevant to what occurred. But that’s the narrative, that’s the frame of white supremacy.”
A vigil was held for Ellison at the Stratford Inn on Thanksgiving and another remembrance will be held on Dec. 2.
Last Friday, Keegan pled not guilty to four criminal counts at his arraignment, including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, reckless endangering, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
He is being held without bail. His next scheduled court appearance is on Feb. 22.
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