

What were the first reactions to the verdict? Prosecutors described the defendant as a vigilante and said he had gone to the protest with the intent of using his weapon. Another protester, Gaige Grosskreutz, was shot after pointing his own gun at Rittenhouse. Grosskreutz testified that he was trying to disarm the shooter. Rittenhouse opened fire again and fatally shot Huber. Other protesters then tried to confront him, including 26-year-old Anthony Huber who hit Rittenhouse over the head with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then left the scene still wielding his rifle, before apparently tripping and falling in the street. According to Rittenhouse and a reporter at the scene, Rosenbaum lunged for Rittenhouse's gun before getting shot. Videos from the scene show Rittenhouse open fire at 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum after Rosenbaum started chasing after Rittenhouse and threw a plastic bag holding his belongings at the teenager. He claimed that he shot the three men in self-defense. Rittenhouse showed up at the Kenosha rally with an AR-15-style semi-automatic weapon and a medic bag, saying that he had intended to protect private property from rioters. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The shooting came just months after the widely publicized murder of another Black man, George Floyd.ĭW films exclusive footage of Kenosha shooter The protests, which also included rioting, looting and arson, were triggered when police shot and paralyzed a Black man, Jacob Blake.

The judge also told the jurors they were under no obligation to speak to the media. He was seen crying after the verdict.įollowing the verdict, Judge Bruce Schroeder confirmed Rittenhouse was "released from the obligation of his bond." Rittenhouse collapsed into his courtroom chair when the verdict was read. He was also cleared of charges of "recklessly endangering safety" for his actions during last year's rally. He was 17 at the time.Īfter four days of deliberation, the jury found Rittenhouse not guilty on two accounts of murder and one account of attempted murder. Rittenhouse is white, as are all three people he shot during the rally.
Kyle rittenhouse not guilty meme trial#
Rittenhouse was put on trial over killing two men and wounding a third in August of last year during a Black Lives Matter rally in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kyle Rittenhouse was cleared of all charges in a widely publicized trial on Friday.
