ASHLAND, Ore. A drive-in celebration of life was held earlier today for Aidan Ellison, the young black man shot and killed in Ashland just before Thanksgiving.
The event, called Turn up the Volume, was hosted by SoEquity or Southern Oregon Coalition for Racial Equity.
The celebration featured local black performers and speakers.
On Tuesday, Aidan Ellison’s mother, Andrea Wofford announced she’s filing lawsuits against the man who killed her son, as well as the Stratford Inn, where it happened.
Her attorney says the inn shouldn’t have allowed the suspected murderer, Robert Keegan, to stay there while carrying a weapon.
Press conference, lawsuits forthcoming related to Aidan Ellison case, local group says
The Southern Oregon Coalition for Racial Equity (SOEquity) and The Law Office of Justin Rosas announced in a joint press statement that there will be a press conference in Ashland on Tuesday afternoon.
Posted: Jan 11, 2021 1:20 PM
Updated: Jan 13, 2021 8:48 AM
Posted By: Jamie Parfitt
ASHLAND, Ore. A joint statement from racial justice group Southern Oregon Coalition for Racial Equity (SOEquity) and a local law firm on Monday promised civil action related to the November killing of 19-year-old Aidan Ellison, including several lawsuits.
SOEquity and the Law Office of Justin Rosas announced that they would hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Ashland s Railroad Park, alongside Ellison s mother, Andrea Wofford.
Photo from KDRV
Aiden Ellison, 19, was shot in the chest and killed on the night of Nov 23rd in the parking lot of Ashland’s Stratford Inn by another tenant named Robert Paul Keegan. Ellison, who lost his position at Burger King due to the Almeda Fire, was confronted by Keegan around 4am.
KDRV reported that Keegan was awoken early in the morning by Ellison’s music and went out to the parking lot to ask him to turn it down. Ellison refused and Keegan returned to his room where he grabbed his gun, a Mossberg MC1 9mm, and hid the weapon in his pocket. Keegan returned to the lobby where he talked with reception about his concerns. The hotel Clerk went out to the parking lot to talk with Ellison and was followed by Keegan who confronted Ellison once again. Keegan has made claims that Ellison struck him in the face, but there were no marks on Ellison’s hands or Keegan’s face to support this. Keegan said that his shot was in self-defense.