Kyle Rittenhouse Shootings: A Primer

In an effort to provide reasoned discourse on the Kyle Rittenhouse shootings, I’m writing a series of posts addressing various elements of the situation because of the misinformation I’ve seen perpetrated on-line. Given the number of people who have taken issue with my posts supporting the shootings as self defense, I thought I’d start with a primer breaking down the events of the week starting the night after Jacob Blake’s shootings showing evidence I’ve gathered so far and reasons it occurs to me, thus far, as justifiable self defense for all three Rittenhouse shootings.

The hyperlinks herein provide context and evidence to substantiate the facts from which I derived my position. However, if you are aware of additional source material that helps shed further context on the situation, please do share that information with me so I can vet and include it as appropriate. Now more than ever it is important for us to consider all the evidence before jumping to conclusions about what happened lest we mistakenly assume guilt where there is innocence and innocence where there is guilt — not just related to the Rittenhouse shootings but generally as well.

On August 23, 2020, seemingly in response to the upset of what was perceived as yet another example of unjust police brutality after the shooting of Jacob Blake, protests — which included rallies, marches, property damage, damage to businesses, smashed windows, arson, and clashes with police — followed leading Kenosha County, WI, to declare a state of emergency that evening. In addition to damage done to the court house and other city resources, there was an estimated 1.5 million dollars the first night to a car dealership where most of the ~100 cars on the lot were set aflame. The dealership was sitting next to the Bradford Community Church described as a “far-left universalist religious organization” that sported it’s own “Black Lives Matter” sign iconically juxtaposed next to the burning car lot, shown here.

By August 25th, after several nights of protests and damage, according to the statement issued by Rittenhouse’s legal team, he was present in Kenosha after getting off work as a lifeguard locally and went with a friend to remove some graffiti from the local high school.

The statement continues, “Later in the day, they received information about a call for help from a local business owner, whose downtown Kenosha auto dealership was largely destroyed by mob violence. The business owner needed help to protect what he had left of his life’s work, including two nearby mechanic’s shops. Kyle and a friend armed themselves with rifles due to the deadly violence gripping Kenosha and many other American cities, and headed to the business premises. The weapons were in Wisconsin and never crossed state lines.”

In his own words, Rittenhouse said, “People are getting injured and our job is to protect this business. And part of my job also is to protect people. If someone is hurt, I’m running into harm’s way. That’s why I have my rifle; I’ve gotta protect myself obviously. But I also have my med kit.”

Later in the evening, Rittenhouse was accosted by some protestors who, the statement asserts, recognized him as trying to protect a business earlier in the night and he was chased while he attempted to retreat rather than standing his ground and firing on them. At a gas station, a gunshot was fired by someone other than Rittenhouse, then he turned around, and Joseph Rosenbaum (who earlier in the night can be heard using racial slurs pejorative toward black people although he was speaking to what largely appears to be non black people when saying it at a Black Lives Matter protest) attacked him and attempted to take his gun away at which point Rittenhouse discharged his weapon and shot him multiple times. Rosenbaum later died, allegedly after being hit multiple times. The source of the bullets has not yet been released by the Kenosha County Medical Examiner. 

According to the criminal complaint, “McGinnis said that the unarmed guy (Rosenbaum) was trying to get the defendant’s gun. McGinnis demonstrated by extending both of his hands in a quick grabbing motion and did that as a visual on how Rosenbaum tried to reach for the defendant’s gun. Detective Cepress indicates that he asked McGinnis if Rosenbaum had his hands on the gun when the defendant shot. McGinnis said that he definitely made a motion that he was trying to grab the barrel of the gun.”

The reporter, Richard McGinnis, who was with Rittenhouse attempted to save Rosenbaum’s life while a crowd went after Rittenhouse who again fled from the crowd.  As the crowd continued to scream around him, according to his lawyer’s statement one person hit him from behind knocking his hat off after which he falls to the ground. At this point, footage reveals he was further attacked while on the ground with one person who looks to attempt to kick him in the head and the second person he shot, Anthony Huber, hitting him with his skateboard then reportedly attempting to disarm him at which point Rittenhouse discharged his gun again and fatally wounded Huber.

The footage further reveals the third assailant, Gaige Grosskreutz who drew a gun on Rittenhouse, stopped in his tracks, at which point Rittenhouse does not fire on him. When Grosskreutz lunges at him, Rittenhouse shot him in the arm.

After these three Rittenhouse shootings, the rest of the crowd attacking him dispersed and Rittenhouse made his way to his feet, approached the cops, raised his hands as he got within eyesight of them, and according to his statement, attempted to turn himself in to the police there in Kenosha though the cops let him go as they are rolling down the block asking about injured persons straight ahead, presumably in response to the shots they just heard which continued after Rittenhouse stopped firing.

Rittenhouse turned himself in the next day in Antioch, IL and was charged on August 27, 2020 with 6 counts, 5 felony and 1 misdemeanor as follows: