Kenosha Shooter Will Claim Self-Defense
Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, charged with intentional homicide, protected himself from ‘mob’, his attorneys argue.

Police. Photo by Highway Patrol Images / (CC BY)
The legal team for Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged with intentional homicide and reckless homicide in the fatal shootings of two people during protests Tuesday in Kenosha, says he acted in self-defense.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the law firm Pierce Bainbridge sent out a news release Friday that said they will fight the charges against Rittenhouse, claiming he was defending himself from a “mob” of attackers who were protesting against the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
According to the Journal Sentinel, the release said that before Rittenhouse fired his gun, he was “accosted,” “verbally threatened and taunted” by “rioters” while he guarded a mechanic’s shop alongside a group of armed men.
Rittenhouse then shot and killed 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum, who was unarmed, according to the criminal complaint.
Following the shooting, says the account, “a growing mob” chased Rittenhouse. When he fell, people “kicked” him and “bashed him over the head with a skateboard,” says the release.
“In fear for his life and concerned the crowd would either continue to shoot at him or even use his own weapon against him,” the statement says, “Kyle had no choice but to fire multiple rounds towards his immediate attackers.”
Another gunshot from Rittenhouse killed 26-year-old Anthony Huber, who was holding a skateboard in his right hand and reached for Rittenhouse’s gun with the other, the release says. Rittenhouse also shot Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, in the arm. The Kenosha County district attorney said in his criminal complaint against Rittenhouse that it appeared Grosskreutz was carrying a handgun at the time he was shot.
An Illinois judge on Friday postponed until Sept. 25 a hearing to determine whether Kyle Rittenhouse should be returned to Wisconsin.
Rittenhouse Lawyers Claim Self-Defense In Tuesday Killings was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the Kenosha Shooting
- Judge Denies New Arrest Warrant For Rittenhouse - Corri Hess - Feb 11th, 2021
- Rittenhouse Bond Is Modified - Henry Redman - Jan 26th, 2021
- Prosecutors Want Court to Ban Rittenhouse from Bars - Corri Hess - Jan 14th, 2021
- Kenosha DA Won’t Charge Cops in Blake Shooting - Corri Hess - Jan 5th, 2021
- Rittenhouse Will Stand Trial on All Charges - Megan Hart - Dec 3rd, 2020
- Rittenhouse Released on $2 Million Bail - Graham Kilmer - Nov 20th, 2020
- Man Charged With Buying Gun for Rittenhouse - Isiah Holmes - Nov 11th, 2020
- Rittenhouse Bond Set at $2 Million - Isiah Holmes - Nov 3rd, 2020
- U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Calls on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Provide Answers After Facebook Failed to Promptly Remove Event Calling for Violence in Kenosha - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Nov 2nd, 2020
- Rittenhouse Extradited to Wisconsin - Shawn Johnson - Oct 31st, 2020
Read more about Kenosha Shooting here
More about the Kenosha Unrest
- Wisconsin Man Indicted for Injuring Police Officer During Kenosha Riots - U.S. Department of Justice - Jan 27th, 2021
- Prosecutors Want Court to Ban Rittenhouse from Bars - Corri Hess - Jan 14th, 2021
- Kenosha DA Won’t Charge Cops in Blake Shooting - Corri Hess - Jan 5th, 2021
- Common Council Unanimously Approved Resolution Declaring an Emergency - Kenosha Common Council - Jan 4th, 2021
- Wisconsin National Guard Mobilized to Assist Civil Authorities and Preserve Public Safety in Kenosha - Gov. Tony Evers - Jan 4th, 2021
- Police Association Calls BLM Protesters ‘Terrorists’ - Henry Redman and Isiah Holmes - Dec 14th, 2020
- Aggressive Police Escalate Violence at Protests? - Clara Neupert - Dec 10th, 2020
- U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Calls on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Provide Answers After Facebook Failed to Promptly Remove Event Calling for Violence in Kenosha - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Nov 2nd, 2020
- Lawsuit Targets Rittenhouse, Militia, Facebook - Madeline Fox - Sep 23rd, 2020
- Gov. Evers, WEDC Announce $4 million Available in Loans to Aid Kenosha Businesses - Gov. Tony Evers - Sep 23rd, 2020
Read more about Kenosha Unrest here