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112-605: Kyle Howard Rittenhouse (born January 3, 2003) is an American man who gained national attention at age 17 for shooting three men in Kenosha, Wisconsin —two fatally—in August 2020, amid protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake . He had traveled to Kenosha during the unrest, and joined a group of armed people who said they were there to protect businesses. In a series of confrontations, Rittenhouse fatally shot two men who had tried to grab his gun, and injured another who had pointed

224-858: A Trump rally in Des Moines, Iowa , seated in the front row. Rittenhouse attempted to join the US Marine Corps that same month, but he was disqualified from serving by recruiters. He got a part-time job as a lifeguard at the YMCA in Lindenhurst , but was furloughed in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began, leading to a shutdown of many public facilities. In late August 2020, 17-year-old Rittenhouse traveled from Antioch, Illinois , to Kenosha, Wisconsin , to help protect local businesses, after there were protests following

336-680: A YouTube channel focusing on guns and the Second Amendment on October 16, 2022. His first video on the channel showed him firing a handgun and an automatic rifle and included the YouTube gun advocate Brandon Herrera as a guest. The video has since been deleted, and the channel appears to have become dormant with no new videos uploaded. In 2022, after being acquitted of the Kenosha shootings, Rittenhouse moved to Texas. In October 2021, Rittenhouse started taking online classes at Arizona State University as

448-484: A civil case , however, the court simply weighs the evidence and decides what is most probable. Criminal and civil procedure are different. Although some systems, including the English , allow a private citizen to bring a criminal prosecution against another citizen , criminal actions are nearly always started by the state . Civil actions , on the other hand, are usually started by individuals . In Anglo-American law,

560-771: A proclamation be created in honor of Rittenhouse, saying he "deserves to be recognized as a hero." In November 2022, Rittenhouse met with Republican House of Representative members of the Second Amendment Caucus to discuss his experiences and answer questions from the caucus. The meeting was held at the Conservative Partnership Institute in Washington D.C. Caucus members who were present included Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and Byron Donalds (R-FL). Rittenhouse said, "I'm 19 and just got to speak with leaders of

672-568: A semi-automatic , AR-15 style rifle as a favor for him in Wisconsin since Rittenhouse was too young to purchase a gun. Black's stepfather stored the gun in a locked safe at his home in Kenosha but had relocated the weapon to an unsecured area in the basement on August 24, the second day of the Kenosha unrest, for ready access in case of a break-in. Those killed were Joseph Rosenbaum, aged 36 from Kenosha , and Anthony Huber, aged 26 from Silver Lake . Gaige Grosskreutz, aged 26 from West Allis ,

784-465: A "use of a dangerous weapon" modifier, which invokes a Wisconsin law that prescribes an addition of no more than five years of imprisonment. The rifle used in the shootings was identified as a Smith & Wesson M&P15 chambered in .223 . Dominick Black had allegedly purchased it on May 1 with cash from Rittenhouse, and had given it to Rittenhouse hours before the shootings. Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to all charges on January 5, 2021. At

896-512: A 17-year-old from Antioch, Illinois , shot and killed two men and wounded another man in Kenosha, Wisconsin . The shootings occurred during the protests, riots, and civil unrest that followed the shooting of Jacob Blake . Race was a major theme in U.S. media commentary, although Rittenhouse and those he shot were white. Rittenhouse was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and had joined a group of armed people in Kenosha who said that they were in Kenosha to protect businesses. Joseph D. Rosenbaum,

1008-451: A 26-year-old West Allis man who pointed a handgun at Rittenhouse, was shot by Rittenhouse once in the right arm and survived. Kenosha County prosecutors charged Rittenhouse with two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide, two counts of reckless endangerment, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, and one count of curfew violation. His trial lasted from November 1 to 19, 2021. Prosecutors sought to show Rittenhouse as

1120-472: A 36-year-old unarmed Kenosha man, ran at Rittenhouse and grabbed the barrel of his rifle after throwing a plastic shopping bag of clothing at him. Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum four times at close range, killing him. Rittenhouse fled and was pursued by a crowd. Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old-resident of Silver Lake , struck Rittenhouse in the head with a skateboard and attempted to wrest his rifle away; Rittenhouse shot him once, fatally. Gaige Paul Grosskreutz,

1232-523: A Facebook livestream. Shortly before midnight, Grosskreutz said he heard gunshots to the south and observed Rittenhouse running in his direction on Sheridan Road. Grosskreutz said he ran alongside Rittenhouse and asked "Hey, what are you doing? You shot somebody?" Prosecutors said that protesters were heard on two different videos yelling "Beat him up!", "Hey, he shot him!" and "Get him! Get that dude!" One individual struck Rittenhouse, knocking off his cap, shortly after which Rittenhouse tripped and fell to

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1344-467: A Turning Point Young Women's Leadership Summit in 2022, introduced as "the kind of man you should want to be attracted to" who would "protect [his] family" and "stand strong in the face of opposition from culture and evil". Rittenhouse has been a guest on several podcasts, including the Blaze Media project You Are Here , hosted by Elijah Schaffer and Sydney Watson, where Rittenhouse said going to protests

1456-578: A bill, and a proclamation have been proposed in different states which have been named after Rittenhouse. In November 2021, U.S. House representative from Georgia Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the Kyle H. Rittenhouse Congressional Gold Medal Act (H.R.6070) during the 117th United States Congress . The bill, which would award Rittenhouse the Congressional Gold Medal , had no co-sponsors. Taylor Greene said, "Kyle Rittenhouse deserves to be remembered as

1568-427: A book contract over $ 1 million. In January 2022, Rittenhouse spokesman David Hancock said Rittenhouse was considering writing a book chronicling his "unorthodox journey into adulthood". He further said the discussions were in the "early phase". In December 2023, Rittenhouse's book Acquitted was released, coauthored with Mark Richards and Michael Quinn Sullivan. Richards was Rittenhouse's lead defense lawyer, and Sullivan

1680-520: A call from Dominick Black telling him that the Car Source location at 63rd and Sheridan was being vandalized and that many vehicles had been set on fire and requesting him to go to that location and help put out fires. Rittenhouse then asked another person at the Ultimate Gas Station for a fire extinguisher and to accompany him to the Car Source location at 63rd and Sheridan. This person provided him

1792-593: A call on the Facebook page of the Kenosha Guard militia group for "patriots willing to take up arms and defend" Kenosha. Mathewson had previously formed the Kenosha Guard in response to the George Floyd protests earlier that year. The event post, titled "Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property," was picked up and redistributed by InfoWars . It received a national and international online response, attracting

1904-534: A charity music festival in Orlando, several bands pulled out of the event, including Evergreen Terrace , who referred to him as a "murderer". Organizers of the Shell Shock II festival, which supports first responders dealing with injuries such as PTSD , upheld Rittenhouse's participation, saying in part that "everyone is welcome". Rittenhouse has become a gun rights advocate since his trial. In August 2023, he formed

2016-459: A comparison by The Tennessee Star to Nicholas Sandmann, a Covington Catholic High School student from Kentucky who became known for the January 2019 Lincoln Memorial confrontation . In 2022, a satirical story turned into a rumor circulating on social media saying that Rittenhouse had filed and settled a lawsuit against Whoopi Goldberg and The View . The story was false. Rittenhouse launched

2128-434: A conflict with its own values. In response, Rittenhouse accused the brewery of censoring him. After moving to Texas, Rittenhouse became involved with Texas politics, appearing at political rallies and endorsing candidates. Rittenhouse has been working with former Texas House representative and Republican donor Jonathan Stickland . In October 2024, after it became known that Rittenhouse planned to appear later that month at

2240-417: A criminal gunman, while defense lawyers argued that Rittenhouse had acted in self-defense , asserting that his attackers were part of a mob that "attacked him in the street like an animal" and that he used force necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself. Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed the unlawful possession charge and the curfew violation charge for being legally unsupported, and

2352-439: A criminal trial is not necessarily admissible in a civil action about the same matter, just as evidence given in a civil cause is not necessarily admissible on a criminal trial. For example, the victim of a road accident does not directly benefit if the driver who injured him is found guilty of the crime of careless driving. He still has to prove his case in a civil action. In fact he may be able to prove his civil case even when

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2464-556: A disagreement between Rosenbaum and another man when Rosenbaum made threats to kill both of them, saying "if I catch any of you guys alone tonight, I'm going to fucking kill you!". The witness stated that he believed the threat was directed at both himself and Rittenhouse and that Rittenhouse had heard the threat. According to his testimony, Rittenhouse was on patrol along Sheridan Road south of 60th Street with another armed volunteer, Ryan Balch. While patrolling, Rittenhouse lost contact with Balch, and so turned back up Sheridan Road towards

2576-463: A dozen videos taken on the night of the shooting. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Rittenhouse was seen as an active shooter and had provoked the other participants while defense lawyers argued the affirmative defense of self-defense on the grounds that Rittenhouse had been chased and attacked. Under Wisconsin state law, Rittenhouse was charged as an adult with the following crimes: Each felony charge's maximum imprisonment included

2688-485: A fire extinguisher but did not accompany him to the location. Rittenhouse testified that he then walked and ran towards the Car Source location at 63rd and Sheridan on his own, carrying his rifle, the fire extinguisher and some first aid supplies. As he approached the Car Source lot at 63rd and Sheridan he heard someone shout "Burn in hell!". He responded "Friendly! Friendly! Friendly!" to placate them but could not see who it was. Rittenhouse testified that when he reached

2800-502: A firearm at him. Rittenhouse was charged by Kenosha County prosecutors with multiple criminal counts, including homicide . Rittenhouse claimed self-defense at trial and was acquitted in November 2021. Two civil lawsuits against him are pending as of February 2023. Rittenhouse's prosecution attracted widespread media coverage. Following his acquittal, he attended several events hosted by conservative organizations and individuals, including

2912-481: A fundraiser through Facebook for Humanizing the Badge, a nonprofit. Other posts revolved around "honoring police, with Blue Lives Matter graphics, photos of officers killed in the line of duty, and the " thin blue line " flag associated with support for law enforcement." On his TikTok profile description, Rittenhouse had written, "BLUE LIVES MATTER 🔵" and "Trump 2020 🇺🇸 🇺🇸". On January 30, 2020, Rittenhouse attended

3024-476: A hearing on September 17, 2021, Schroeder denied prosecutors' requests to admit Rittenhouse's meeting with Proud Boys members and a previous fight that he was involved in as evidence in the case, finding that the incidents were "too dissimilar" to the shooting. Schroeder also denied the defense's request to admit evidence of Rosenbaum's prior criminal record as a sex offender . On October 25, Schroeder defined what testimony would or would not be admissible by both

3136-418: A hero who defended his community, protected businesses, and acted lawfully in the face of lawlessness. I'm proud to file this legislation to award Kyle Rittenhouse a Congressional Gold Medal." In November 2021, Oklahoma Senate Representative Nathan Dahm introduced Senate Bill 1120, called "Kyle's Law". The bill states if a defendant is charged with murder, but is found not guilty due to justifiable homicide ,

3248-673: A jury by presupposing who is innocent and guilty. Trial arguments and testimonies took place between November 2 and 15, 2021, in Kenosha County Courthouse. After opening arguments, jurors were shown multiple video recordings of the events. Video footage recorded shortly before the shooting showed Rosenbaum shouting "Shoot me, nigger" at an armed man who pointed a gun at him. Two witnesses testified having seen Rosenbaum yelling and behaving violently before approaching Rittenhouse and trying to take his rifle. A former marine testified that Rosenbaum had taunted him and other armed men before

3360-529: A jury found Rittenhouse not guilty of the remaining charges. Public sentiment of the shootings was polarized and media coverage both polarized and politicized. Multiple right-wing politicians and figures welcomed Rittenhouse's acquittal, stating that the shootings were self-defense . President Joe Biden called for the jury's verdict to be respected, although stated that the verdict "will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included." Multiple Democratic politicians and figures criticized

3472-408: A larger number of armed men than were present at other protests in Wisconsin that summer. Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian and County Sheriff David Beth expressed their disapproval of armed civilians patrolling the streets, while some Wisconsin police officers were seen in a video giving them water and heard saying, "We appreciate you guys, we really do." At the time of the shooting, Kyle Rittenhouse

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3584-501: A lawyer or nurse. He also said that he supported the Black Lives Matter movement and "peacefully demonstrating". Carlson introduced Rittenhouse as "bright, decent, sincere, dutiful, and hardworking... exactly the kind of person you would want many more of in your country." The episode was the second-most watched since the show's premiere in 2016, following the episode on the January 6 United States Capitol attack earlier in 2021. It

3696-460: A lawyer paid for at the public expense. Countries using the common law tend to make a clear distinction between civil and criminal procedures. For example, an English criminal court may force a convicted accused to pay a fine to the Crown as punishment for the crime, and sometimes to pay the legal costs of the prosecution , but does not normally order the convicted accused to pay any compensation to

3808-461: A meeting with former president Donald Trump , interviews with political commentator Tucker Carlson , and guest appearances at several Turning Point USA productions. Images of Rittenhouse have been used for political purposes by both right-wing and left-wing actors, becoming an internet meme and appearing on commercial products. Several proposed laws were named after him, he was offered several internships by Republican politicians, and he appeared in

3920-486: A meme on Twitter, the Global Network on Extremism and Technology found thousands of instances of Rittenhouse's face and commentary on his actions shared through a variety of different hashtags. Multiple political figures have shared those memes, including Donald Trump Jr. and Barry Moore . In March 2022, Rittenhouse shared a meme of himself crying while on the witness stand during his trial, manipulated to appear like he

4032-560: A military veteran who also carried an AR-style rifle that night, recalled Rosenbaum shouting "If I catch any of you guys alone tonight I'm going to fucking kill you!" Rittenhouse took the stand and testified that Rosenbaum threatened to kill him twice and ambushed him before the fatal shooting. Rittenhouse broke down on recounting those events, and the judge ordered a recess. Afterward, Rittenhouse said that Rosenbaum charged at him, putting his hand on Rittenhouse's gun barrel. In cross-examination, Rittenhouse acknowledged using deadly force to stop

4144-474: A minute before fleeing, and was heard saying "I just killed somebody" on his cell phone to his friend Dominick Black as he sprinted out of the parking lot where he had shot Rosenbaum. Rittenhouse then ran down the street towards police vehicles pursued by protesters. Gaige Grosskreutz testified that he was filming the protest as a legal observer for the American Civil Liberties Union on

4256-444: A mistrial without prejudice due to a dispute over drone video used in the trial. Defense attorneys stated that the version provided to them by the prosecution was in a lower resolution and different aspect ratio than the version presented by the state, in violation of rules of evidence and the right of defendants to confront their accuser . The judge, who sparred with prosecutor Thomas Binger on several occasions, had accused Binger of

4368-518: A nice young man," and the two were photographed together. Rittenhouse has appeared at several events run by Turning Point USA , a conservative nonprofit organization, including a panel called "Kenosha on Camera" at Turning Point USA's conservative youth conference AmericaFest in December 2021. Held on the third day of the conference on December 20, the panel consisted of Rittenhouse, Charlie Kirk , Jack Posobiec , Elijah Schaffer, and Drew Hernandez. During

4480-506: A non-degree seeking student, and wanted to transition to in-person classes. Non-degree seeking students at ASU go through a "modified admissions process" instead of the full admissions process for degree-seeking students. ASU students held a rally called "Killer off campus" to protest Rittenhouse's enrollment. Multiple student groups organized the rally, including: Students for Justice in Palestine, Students for Socialism, ASU's MEChA chapter, and

4592-412: A number of Republican and conservative events described as a public relations campaign and publicity tour. During the tour, he was represented by publicist Jillian Anderson, a former contestant on season 19 of the reality TV show The Bachelor . A picture of the two released on November 22, 2021, went viral on social media. A film crew for Tucker Carlson and Fox Nation followed Rittenhouse during

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4704-430: A press conference why Rittenhouse was not stopped, Kenosha Sheriff David Beth said, "In situations that are high-stress, you have such incredible tunnel vision" and implied officers may not have realized he had been involved in the shooting. Likewise, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said that "there was nothing to suggest this individual was involved in any criminal behavior" due to the fact that someone walking towards

4816-498: A response, adding, "He still hasn't replied. So it just shows how much of a man he is to not sit down and talk." While campaigning for president in 2020, Biden used images of Rittenhouse in a campaign video he tweeted the day after the September 29 presidential debate . The BBC wrote the video "appeared to link Rittenhouse, without any evidence, to white supremacists." Rittenhouse said using his image and linking him to white supremacy

4928-435: A spokesperson from the university denied he had been accepted. After that announcement, Rittenhouse posted on Twitter he would be attending Blinn College , a junior college and what he referred to as a "feeder school" for Texas A&M. A Blinn College spokesperson confirmed Rittenhouse had applied, but had "not enrolled for a current or upcoming term". Kenosha unrest shooting On August 25, 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse ,

5040-471: A used car lot, and another car lot to the South), which had been badly damaged during the first two nights of unrest. Car Source had suffered $ 1.5 million in arson damage the previous night. Peaceful protests during the day were followed by chaos where protestors, armed civilians and others faced off against one another and the police at night. Two hours after the 8:00 pm curfew had begun, police began to drive

5152-635: A video game. Since his trial, Rittenhouse has operated a gun rights YouTube channel and started two projects, including another video game and raising money for unspecified defamation lawsuits against media companies. Kyle Howard Rittenhouse was born on January 3, 2003, in Antioch, Illinois , to Michael and Wendy Rittenhouse. His parents were married in Lake County, Illinois , in February 2000, three years before his birth. He has two siblings, an older sister and

5264-557: A violation of the right to silence guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment after Binger alleged Rittenhouse deliberately refrained from commenting on the case in order to fit his testimony in response to witnesses' accounts once at trial. Binger's mention of video footage showing Rittenhouse expressing a willingness to shoot suspected shoplifters angered Schroeder, who had ruled the material was neither related nor allowed at trial. On November 18, Schroeder banned MSNBC and affiliates from

5376-778: A younger sister. His parents separated by 2014. As a high school freshman , Rittenhouse participated in the Explorers program at the Grayslake Police Department, as well as a cadet program at the Antioch Fire Department, with the goal of becoming a paramedic or working in law enforcement. Eventually transitioning to online school, he dropped out and left Lakes Community High School altogether in 2018 after attending for one semester in 2017–2018. He expressed interest in law enforcement through publicly viewable social media posts. In December 2018, Rittenhouse started

5488-423: Is bound to a wheelchair, to "a sprint" to employ Rittenhouse as an intern. In response to Gaetz, Gosar, and Cawthorn offering the internships, Missouri House representative Cori Bush called for their expulsion, tweeting "Not only do these members fuel violence. Now they're actively recruiting someone whose sole qualification is killing people standing up for Black lives and getting away with it." At least two laws,

5600-494: Is included in other human rights documents. However, in practice, it operates somewhat differently in different countries. Such basic rights also include the right for the defendant to know what offence he or she has been arrested for or is being charged with, and the right to appear before a judicial official within a certain time of being arrested. Many jurisdictions also allow the defendant the right to legal counsel and provide any defendant who cannot afford their own lawyer with

5712-407: Is to also help people. If there is somebody hurt, I'm running into harm's way. That's why I have my rifle – because I can protect myself, obviously. But I also have my med kit." After 10:00 pm, Rittenhouse alternated between standing guard at the dealership and walking the street offering medical attention. Rittenhouse left Car Source around 11:40 pm and was blocked from returning to the business by

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5824-534: Is up to the prosecution to prove that the defendant is guilty beyond any reasonable doubt, as opposed to having the defense prove that they are innocent, and any doubt is resolved in favor of the defendant. This provision, known as the presumption of innocence , is required, for example, in the 46 countries that are members of the Council of Europe , under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights , and it

5936-559: The Eastern District of Wisconsin against the police and county sheriff's departments in Kenosha, and later added Rittenhouse as a named defendant in January 2022. In February 2023, the surviving man, Gaige Grosskreutz, also added Rittenhouse as a named defendant to a lawsuit filed in federal court in October 2021. After the acquittal, Rittenhouse was sought for media appearances and attended

6048-466: The Steam hosting platform and available for $ 5. It was not announced if Nordic Empire Games had sought permission to use Rittenhouse's image. On June 23, 2022, Rittenhouse announced a video game called Kyle Rittenhouse's Turkey Shoot, developed by Mint Studios, to raise money for unspecified future media defamation lawsuits. The video game, which features a cartoon Rittenhouse holding a bright orange gun with

6160-423: The shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer. On August 25, 2020, Rittenhouse was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and shot three men during the civil unrest in Kenosha . Photographic evidence reveals that prior to unrest unfolding, Rittenhouse and others had participated in cleaning graffiti from a high school close to the Kenosha County Courthouse. After a man chased Rittenhouse into a parking lot and grabbed

6272-583: The shooting of Jacob Blake , an African-American man who was shot seven times by a Kenosha police officer and became paralyzed from the waist down. Following a resurgence in protests that were part of the Black Lives Matter movement after other high-profile killings of African-Americans by police officers in 2020, the protests in Kenosha included rallies, marches, property damage, arson , and clashes with police between August 23 and September 1. On August 25, former Kenosha alderman Kevin Mathewson put out

6384-715: The BearCats. Rittenhouse headed to the Car Source lot farthest to the south. In the hours leading up to the shooting, prosecution witnesses described Rosenbaum as "hyperaggressive and acting out in a violent manner" and "acting very belligerently". Witnesses described Rosenbaum carrying around a chain, trying to light fires, throwing rocks, and trying to provoke fights with people by "false stepping" at them. One witness described Rosenbaum "very bluntly asking people to shoot him" saying "shoot me, nigga ", to which other protesters displayed negative reactions. Another witness described how, accompanied by Rittenhouse, he tried to calm

6496-452: The Car Source location at 59th and Sheridan (referred to during the trial as "Car Source 2") where he had been originally posted. However, he was stopped by police stationed at the junction of Sheridan Road and 60th Street, who turned him back, saying they were not allowing anybody to cross north of 60th Street. Rittenhouse then went to the nearby Ultimate Gas Station, believing this to be a safe location. Rittenhouse testified that he received

6608-478: The Car Source lot, he noticed a vehicle with flames in the back seat and approached the vehicle intending to put out the fire. He was then approached from near the vehicle by Joshua Ziminski, who was holding a pistol in his hand. Rittenhouse dropped the fire extinguisher, intending to run away. He then noticed Rosenbaum approaching him on his right, around the side of the vehicle, with a t-shirt wrapped around his face. Rittenhouse testified that he recognized Rosenbaum as

6720-525: The Kenosha County Circuit Court. Rittenhouse was represented by attorneys Mark Richards, Corey Chirafisi, and Natalie Wisco; the State was represented by ADAs Thomas Binger and James Kraus. The presiding judge was Bruce E. Schroeder. Jury selection on November 1 resulted in a 20-person panel of 12 jurors and eight alternates. The jury heard testimony from over 30 witnesses and viewed more than

6832-600: The Multicultural Solidarity Coalition. By the next month, he had withdrawn. ASU has stated that even if Rittenhouse had been found guilty, that would not have affected his enrollment since it is not ASU's policy to consider criminal records of applicants or students, and he could have continued even if in prison. In a June 2022 appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show , Rittenhouse said he would be attending Texas A&M University in College Station , Texas;

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6944-563: The Rittenhouse Foundation, a Texas-based non-profit with a stated purpose to protect legal rights. The organization's filing includes wording from the Second Amendment. Chris McNutt , president of Texas Gun Rights, is also a director of the foundation. In 2024, Rittenhouse was named outreach director for Texas Gun Rights, a state affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights . In February 2022, Rittenhouse announced he

7056-419: The aim of shooting turkeys that represent the media, has no stated release date. In a social media advertisement for the game, Rittenhouse described the media as "nothing but a bunch of turkeys with nothing better to do than to push their lying agenda and destroy innocent people's lives." Rittenhouse has been publicly offered multiple internships, all by Republican lawmakers. On November 17, 2021, two days before

7168-559: The air, but the gun didn't fire, so by reracking the weapon I inferred the defendant wasn't accepting my surrender." Grosskreutz testified that he decided to "close the distance" to Rittenhouse, to employ "non-lethal" methods of either wrestling the gun away from or detaining Rittenhouse. He further testified that he sought to preserve his own life but was "never trying to kill" Rittenhouse, and that as he moved closer to Rittenhouse, unintentionally pointing his handgun at him, Rittenhouse shot him. On November 10, prosecution witness Ryan Balch,

7280-442: The attack on him, while also saying that killing was not his intent. Judge Schroeder ruled on November 12 that the jury could consider whether or not Rittenhouse provoked the attacks that unfolded. The defense made several requests for a mistrial that included a motion for a mistrial with prejudice using the argument that there was "prosecutorial overreaching" and that the state acted "in bad faith". The defense later requested

7392-468: The barrel of his rifle, the youth fatally shot him. His name was Joseph Rosenbaum. Rittenhouse fled and was pursued by a crowd. He fatally shot a second man, Anthony Huber, after the man struck Rittenhouse with a skateboard and tried to grab his rifle. Gaige Grosskreutz also approached Rittenhouse, armed with a Glock pointed at him, but Rittenhouse shot and wounded him first. At a criminal trial in Kenosha in November 2021, prosecutors argued that Rittenhouse

7504-499: The barrel of his rifle. Rittenhouse then fired four shots at Rosenbaum, killing him. The bullets perforated Rosenbaum's heart, aorta, pulmonary artery and right lung, fractured his pelvis, and caused minor wounds to his left thigh and forehead. McGinniss, who had been standing fifteen feet away and felt one of the bullets whiz by his leg, checked himself before he began to administer first aid to Rosenbaum and told Rittenhouse to call 911. Rittenhouse stood over McGinniss for half of

7616-434: The car dealership where he and a number of other armed men had stationed themselves, second by Richie McGinniss, a reporter for The Daily Caller . Rittenhouse was seen talking with police officers, and offering medical aid to those who were injured. When McGinniss asked Rittenhouse why he was at the car dealership, he responded: "People are getting injured and our job is to protect this business, [...] [a]nd part of my job

7728-466: The chase, Rosenbaum threw a plastic bag containing socks, underwear, and deodorant at Rittenhouse. Ziminski fired a shot into the air, and was later charged with disorderly conduct using a dangerous weapon. After the shot was fired, Rittenhouse turned around, to see Rosenbaum now only a few feet away from him. According to McGinniss, who was standing near Rittenhouse at the time, Rosenbaum then shouted "fuck you!" and "lunged" at Rittenhouse and grabbed

7840-439: The courthouse for the remainder of the trial after Kenosha police observed that a car driven by an MSNBC producer had followed the jury bus and ran a red light. The driver, detained on suspicion of photographing jurors, was issued traffic citations and released by police after they failed to find pictures of jurors. NBC News denied their affiliated driver had intended to photograph or contact jurors during deliberations. After

7952-408: The defendant was an active shooter" and said "I thought I was going to die." Grosskreutz, whom videos show putting his hands in the air when standing a few feet from Rittenhouse, testified that he then saw Rittenhouse re-rack his rifle, while Rittenhouse testified that he was examining his rifle at that point. Grosskreutz said that "meant that the defendant pulled the trigger while my hands were in

8064-444: The defense and the prosecution. Schroeder ordered that the men shot by Rittenhouse could not be referred to as victims, but determined they could be described as arsonists or looters if the defense was able to establish evidence that Rosenbaum, Huber, or Grosskreutz were engaged in those activities that night. Legal experts stated that saying the term "victim" can appear prejudicial in a court of law, which would heavily influence

8176-482: The driver is found not guilty in the criminal trial. If the accused has given evidence on his trial he may be cross-examined on those statements in a subsequent civil action regardless of the criminal verdict. Once the plaintiff has shown that the defendant is liable, the main argument in a civil court is about the amount of money , or damages , which the defendant should pay to the plaintiff. Proponents of either system tend to consider that their system defends best

8288-630: The federal government; if brought by a state, the case would typically be called State v. Sanchez or People v. Sanchez. In the United Kingdom, the criminal case would be styled R. (short for Rex or Regina, that is, the King or Queen ) v. Sanchez. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, a civil action between Ms. Sanchez and a Mr. Smith would be Sanchez v. Smith if started by Sanchez and Smith v. Sanchez if begun by Smith. Evidence given at

8400-623: The gesture was falsely linked on a blogging website with the letters "WP," for "White Power". On February 11, judge Bruce Schroeder denied a request by prosecutors for a $ 200,000 increase in Rittenhouse's bond, after Rittenhouse failed to file an address change within 48 hours of moving, stating that people out on bail often fail to update their address. Rittenhouse's attorney said that Rittenhouse had been staying at an undisclosed address out of concern for his safety. Rittenhouse's trial began on November 1, 2021, and concluded on November 19 in

8512-458: The greatest country on earth! This was an amazing evening where I got to share my story and discuss the importance of the Second Amendment . Even while the radical left continues to sue me and disparage my name, I know these great leaders have my back." In January 2023, a Texas brewery cancelled an anti-censorship rally it was to host featuring Rittenhouse, citing concerns by local patrons and

8624-412: The ground. Others shouted "What'd he do?", "Just shot someone!" and "Get his ass!" While Rittenhouse was on the ground, Maurice Freeland, one of the men in pursuit, jump kicked Rittenhouse, who fired twice but missed Freeland. Another protester, Anthony Huber, struck Rittenhouse's left shoulder, neck and head with a skateboard as the pair struggled for control of the gun. As Huber was pulling on

8736-526: The jury's decision, Florida House Representative Matt Gaetz offered him an internship. In response, Arizona House Representative Paul Gosar tweeted he would arm-wrestle Gaetz for the chance to have Rittenhouse as an intern. On the day the jury found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges, North Carolina House Representative Madison Cawthorn offered Rittenhouse an internship. During an appearance on Newsmax , Colorado House Representative Lauren Boebert responded to Cawthorn's offer and challenged Cawthorn, who

8848-557: The killings through links to merchandise – until it was pointed out by a BBC journalist. The week following Rittenhouse's acquittal, the Saddle River Range gun store in Conroe, Texas , held a "not guilty" sale and the owner posted a photo of Rittenhouse with a gun on their Instagram page. The same week, speculation on a book deal began. Attorney Andrew M. Stroth, who previously worked as a talent agent, said Rittenhouse could "easily" get

8960-424: The lot, aiming for the safety of the Car Source lot buildings. Rosenbaum chased after him. Rittenhouse testified that he heard Ziminski shout to Rosenbaum "Get him and kill him!", and that he soon perceived his avenue of escape to be blocked by vehicles and a group of protesters, and that Rosenbaum was catching up to him. Video footage showed Rittenhouse being pursued across a parking lot by a group of people. During

9072-415: The man who had previously threatened him but did not recognize Ziminski. Rittenhouse also testified that he believed Rosenbaum to be unarmed. This interaction was witnessed by McGinniss, who perceived that Rosenbaum and other protesters were moving toward Rittenhouse and that Rittenhouse was trying to evade them. Rittenhouse testified that he then believed himself to be in danger and ran south-west across

9184-425: The night, consisting of quick cuts between various angles. The video contended that several shots were fired before and after the shooting of Rosenbaum, and that Rosenbaum may have started chasing Rittenhouse because he mistook him for a man with whom he had a dispute earlier. Rittenhouse returned to his hometown of Antioch, Illinois and turned himself in to police about an hour after the shootings in Kenosha and

9296-442: The panel, Rittenhouse said, "I think my trial was an example of them trying to come after our Second Amendment rights, our right to defend ourselves and trying to take our weapons." Kirk described him as a "hero to millions," and the crowd gave him a standing ovation after chanting his name. The organization arranging the event said Rittenhouse was not compensated for the 45-minute panel appearance. Rittenhouse also appeared onstage at

9408-537: The party bringing a criminal action (that is, in most cases, the state) is called the prosecution , but the party bringing a civil action is the plaintiff . In a civil action the other party is known as the defendant . In a criminal case, the private party may be known as the defendant or the accused . A criminal case in the United States against a person named Ms. Sanchez would be entitled United States v. (short for versus , or against) Sanchez if initiated by

9520-502: The police with their hands up was "no longer abnormal" in the wake of the protests. Noting how the crowd rapidly dispersed after the three men were shot and that dozens of additional shots were heard, a reporter for the Racine Journal Times described his fear that this was a mass shooting event where his supervisor advised him to “stay out of the light” to avoid being shot. Video clips from Kenosha immediately went viral after

9632-453: The prosecution must prove the guilt of a criminal "beyond reasonable doubt", while the plaintiff in a civil action is required to prove his case "on the balance of probabilities". "Beyond reasonable doubt" is not defined for the jury which decides the verdict, but it has been said by appeal courts that proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt requires the prosecution to exclude any reasonable hypothesis consistent with innocence: Plomp v. R . In

9744-409: The prosecution rested its case, the judge dismissed a charge of curfew violation against Rittenhouse, citing a lack of evidence offered by the prosecution; the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm was also dismissed, based on the defense argument that the Wisconsin law restricts minors from carrying rifles only if they are short-barreled. The barrel of Rittenhouse's rifle was longer than 16 inches,

9856-470: The protesters south out of Civic Center Park using BearCat armored personnel carriers. The shootings took place shortly before midnight along Sheridan Road . On August 24, Rittenhouse drove to Kenosha to stay with his friend Dominick Black. The following day, August 25, Rittenhouse helped clean graffiti off a school. Later, Rittenhouse and Black, both armed with rifles, arrived at Car Source. Accounts differ as to whether Rittenhouse and Black's help

9968-416: The rifle, Rittenhouse fired once, hitting Huber in the chest, perforating his heart and right lung, causing his rapid death. Grosskreutz testified he believed Rittenhouse was an active shooter . Grosskreutz testified that he had an expired concealed carry permit for a handgun and was carrying a Glock pistol . In 2024, local reporting found that Grosskreutz actually had a valid concealed carry permit at

10080-528: The shooting. Facebook, criticized for allowing militia groups to post solicitations for armed attendees and for failing to respond to several hundred complaints, removed the Kenosha Guard's post and classified the event as a mass shooting . On August 29, the legal team for Rittenhouse released a statement asserting that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense and was wrongly arrested. President Donald Trump visited Kenosha on September 1. On September 22, Rittenhouse's defense team released an 11-minute narrated video of

10192-424: The shootings but said he did not consider Rosenbaum a threat. A witness who had spoken with Rittenhouse after the shooting recalled a nervous, pale, and sweating Rittenhouse as repeatedly saying "I just shot someone." The prosecution questioned why Rittenhouse would feel threatened while holding a rifle, and described him as an armed threat. On November 8, Grosskreutz, an armed paramedic, testified that he "thought

10304-400: The shootings was polarized and politicized. An Economist / YouGov poll found that two-thirds of Republicans thought Rittenhouse should be acquitted while three-quarters of Democrats thought he should be convicted. Rittenhouse was named as a defendant in two civil lawsuits following the incident. In August 2021, the family of one of the men who was fatally shot filed a federal lawsuit in

10416-425: The shortest barrel length allowed for minors under state law. The jury reached a unanimous verdict on all other charges after more than 25 hours of deliberations spanning four days, finding Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts. Criminal trial Currently, in many countries with a democratic system and the rule of law, criminal procedure puts the burden of proof on the prosecution – that is, it

10528-517: The state must reimburse them. A modified version of the bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a majority Republican party-line 7–3 vote in February 2022. In January 2022, Tennessee State Representative Bruce Griffey introduced HB1769, also known as "Kyle's Law". The Hill said the law "would require the state to reimburse defendants found not guilty of homicide charges due to self-defense." Griffey additionally proposed

10640-416: The time but had believed contrary information from police and prosecutors. Grosskreutz approached Rittenhouse, who was on the ground, but stopped and put his hands up after Huber was shot. Grosskreutz then pointed his handgun and advanced on Rittenhouse, who shot Grosskreutz once in the arm, severing most of the biceps of his right arm. At least 16 gunshots from other sources were heard on video during

10752-552: The time that Rittenhouse was on the ground. Rittenhouse got back to his feet and walked towards police with his hands up and the rifle strapped across his chest. Several police officers testified during the trial that they were responding to an active shooter incident and did not recognize that Rittenhouse was the shooter. He was repeatedly told to get out of the road, and when he continued to advance, one officer attempted to pepper-spray him. Several witnesses and protesters had shouted for Rittenhouse to be arrested. When asked at

10864-461: The trial for a documentary feature, against the advice of Rittenhouse's attorneys. Carlson of Fox News held an exclusive interview with Rittenhouse for Tucker Carlson Tonight immediately following his acquittal. Two days later on November 22, 2021, the hour-long episode titled "The Kyle Rittenhouse Interview" released, where Carlson interviewed him about a wide range of subjects. In the interview, Rittenhouse said he would eventually like to become

10976-578: The verdict as a miscarriage of justice , saying that the acquittal was emblematic of racial double standards in the American justice system. Gun control advocates expressed concerns that the verdict would embolden vigilantism and militia groups. An Economist / YouGov poll conducted during the trial found that two-thirds of Republicans thought Rittenhouse should be acquitted, while three-quarters of Democrats thought he should be convicted. On August 23, 2020, civil unrest erupted in Kenosha after

11088-523: The victim of the crime. The victim must pursue their claim for compensation in a civil, not a criminal, action. In countries using the continental civil law system , such as France and Italy , the victim of a crime (known as the "injured party") may be awarded damages by a criminal court judge . The standards of proof are higher in a criminal action than in a civil one since the loser risks not only financial penalties but also being sent to prison (or, in some countries, execution). In English law ,

11200-464: Was "actual malice, defaming my character, for him to say something like that." Charles Homans, writing for The New York Times , reported that Rittenhouse was adopted as an informal mascot of the Proud Boys and was photographed surrounded by members of the group after he was released on bond . Right-wing memes using Rittenhouse's image have spread on social media. In a study of his image being used as

11312-443: Was "not the best idea." He also appeared on The Jenna Ellis Show, hosted by former Trump staffer Jenna Ellis . On that show, he expressed fear of harassment and said he was afraid to run errands. He denied being a racist, domestic terrorist , or white supremacist , saying he had been attacked by those who described him in these terms. Rittenhouse also said he had reached out to President Joe Biden several times but had not received

11424-476: Was 17 years old. Kyle's father was living in Kenosha, but Kyle lived with his mother in Antioch, Illinois , a community about 20 driving miles away. Prior to the Kenosha unrest, he had participated in local police cadet programs and expressed support on social media for the Blue Lives Matter movement and law enforcement. Three months prior to the shooting, Rittenhouse's friend, Dominick Black, purchased

11536-467: Was compensated in any way for the interview. Former President Trump announced on Sean Hannity 's show that Rittenhouse had requested a meeting, saying, "He called. He wanted to know if he could come over, say hello, because he was a fan." Rittenhouse, his mother, and Trump met at Mar-a-Lago , the same day the Tucker Carlson Tonight interview aired on November 22, 2021. Trump called him "really

11648-469: Was crying about rising gas prices, which he tweeted was "thanks to a Joe Biden presidency". Rittenhouse's image has been used for a number of products and sales, including clothing, a gun sale, and a video game. Fans of Rittenhouse have continued to sell clothing with his image following the trial. In 2020, YouTube was criticized for a lack of adequate content moderation – arbitrarily allowing videos depicting Rittenhouse which glorified violence and monetized

11760-515: Was held in a juvenile facility in Illinois until he was extradited to Wisconsin on October 30, 2020. He was released from detention on November 20, after posting $ 2 million bail . On January 22, 2021, the conditions of Rittenhouse's release were changed so that he could not consume alcohol, have access to firearms, or associate with persons or groups known to be a threat to others based on race or religion. These changes were made after Rittenhouse

11872-550: Was injured. After the city suffered building and vehicle damage during protests on August 24, social media had drawn locals and outsiders, left-wing activists and right-wing militia into the city streets despite an evening curfew imposed on citizens. Some 250 National Guard members were deployed to the city. On August 25, militia that included Boogaloo boys and a biker crew carrying "hatchets, ball bats, and firearms" assembled near two gas stations south of Car Source, an automotive business with three properties (a dealership,

11984-650: Was launching the Media Accountability Project, sometimes referred to by its acronym TMAP, during another interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight , saying: "Me and my team have decided to launch The Media Accountability Project as a tool to help fundraise and hold the media accountable for the lies they said and deal with them in court. I don't want to see anybody else have to deal with what I went through. So I want to hold them accountable for what they did to me, because I don't want to see anybody have to go through what I went through." Rittenhouse's announcement drew

12096-418: Was requested by Car Source. The dealership owner's sons denied that gunmen had been asked to defend the business, but several witnesses testified that armed individuals had been directly sought out by the business to protect their property. In the hours leading up to the shooting, Rittenhouse appeared in multiple videos taken by protesters and bystanders and was interviewed twice: first by a livestreamer at

12208-442: Was seen as an active shooter and had provoked the other participants. Defense lawyers argued that he had acted in self-defense , stating that he had used force necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself. A jury weighed two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide, and two counts of reckless endangerment , and found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges. Public sentiment and media coverage of

12320-457: Was seen on January 5 at a bar with his mother in Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin , drinking beers and posing for pictures alongside five men who sang " Proud of Your Boy ", a song used by members of the far-right Proud Boys political organization. In one photo with two of them, Rittenhouse flashed an "OK" sign , a hand gesture that some have associated with white supremacists. It has been reported that in 2017

12432-465: Was the CEO of former conservative advocacy group Empower Texans . In March 2022, Swedish company Nordic Empire Games launched a video game featuring Rittenhouse called Acquitted . Described as a far-right extremist group owned by William Hahne , the organization created the game that features Rittenhouse shooting his way through crowds of zombies with the choice of 18 different weapons. It was launched through

12544-511: Was watched by 4.942 million viewers (up from the show's average of 3.16 million viewers) and had more than four times the viewers of any other network, leading TheWrap to state that the interview "crushed the rest of cable news" on the night it aired. Lorraine Ali of the Los Angeles Times said the interview "canonized" Rittenhouse while categorizing it as an overly sympathetic "soft ball" interview. Rittenhouse and Fox News both denied he

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