Kyle Rittenhouse is out on a $2 million bond even though he is charged with homicide in two shooting deaths during a late-August protest in Wisconsin. According to NBC News, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Sgt. David Wright confirmed he no longer in their custody on Nov. 20, 2020.
The 17-year-old defendant was extradited from Antioch, Illinois, on October 30 to face the charges of fatally shooting 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum and 26-year-old Anthony Huber and wounding 26-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz, according to AP.
Rittenhouse was formally charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and other charges in connection with the victims’ deaths. The other charges include reckless endangerment and being a minor in possession of a firearm — in Wisconsin, children are only allowed to carry a gun when hunting.
Videos show the chaos created by the protesters and counterprotesters as they descended on Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, to voice their varied beliefs surrounding the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Black Lives Matter and so-called Antifa groups encountered heavily armed vigilantes. The teenager joined the vigilantes armed with an AR-15 and medical supplies.
Seventeen-year-old Rittenhouse contends he was guarding a business to keep it safe from looters when attacked. He further claims he would be dead if he had not fired his weapon — it was self-defense.
His legal team touts the youth as an American patriot. One of his lawyers likened him to the unknown patriot whose shot was heard around the world.
Rittenhouse is scheduled to return to court on December 3.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
NBC News: Kenosha murder suspect Kyle Rittenhouse posts $2 million bond, no longer in custody; by David K. li
AP: Kyle Rittenhouse Charged With Homicide Out on $2 Million Bail
AP: Kenosha shooter’s defense portrays him as ‘American patriot’
Chicago Tribune: Kyle Rittenhouse freed from Kenosha jail after attorneys post $2 million bail despite pleas from families of men he shot; by Dan Hinkel
Featured and Top Image by Lightburst Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
