A court found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges.
NBC reports Rittenhouse was acquitted on two counts of recklessly endangering safety. He testified and said all the shootings were acts of self-defense.
Rittenhouse, 18, was charged with killing two people and wounding a third during violent protests in Kenosha after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 25, 2020. Rittenhouse was cleared on his attempted intentional homicide charge for severely wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, a 27-year-old paramedic who was there the night Rittenhouse killed two people.
Rittenhouse was facing charges of reckless homicide in the killing of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and intentional homicide in the death of Anthony Huber, 26. Before the verdict was announced, the Kenosha Police Department and Kenosha County Sheriff’s released a joint statement saying,
“Our departments have worked together and made coordinated efforts over the last year to improve response capabilities to large scale events. We have also strengthened our existing relationships with State and Federal resources.”
Gov. Tony Evers asked the public to remain peaceful. He said, “all those who choose to assemble and exercise their First Amendment rights in every community to do so safely and peacefully.” He continued, “Any efforts to sow division and hinder that healing are unwelcome in Kenosha and Wisconsin. Regardless of the outcome in this case, I urge peace in Kenosha and across our state.”
Also before the verdict, he sent 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops to the Kenosha area to be on standby. Protesters were peacefully gathered around before the verdict and after.
Blake’s shooting caused a lot of protests at the time. Rittenhouse alongside other men said they went to Kenosha to protect private property during the protest. Blake is paralyzed from the waist down as a result.
We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.