Taking Back Our Stolen History
Rittenhouse, Kyle
Rittenhouse, Kyle

Rittenhouse, Kyle

An Antioch, Illinois, teenage patriot and supporter of law enforcement who worked as a lifeguard in Kenosha, Wisconsin and was present during the 2020 Leftist uprising in Kenosha, having rendered first aid to injured protesters. After finishing his work on August 25, 2020, he wanted to help clean up some of the damage caused by leftwing rioters the previous evening. Rittenhouse and a friend went to the local public high school to remove graffiti by rioters. 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 were given 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. Wisconsin’s open carry law has an exemption for 16 and 17 year olds.

When Rittenhouse arrived at the mechanics shop, he and others stood guard to prevent further destruction. Journalist Mark Dice presented a short video on his Twitter account of Rittenhouse that night offering services as an EMT and beginning to aid a woman with a minor wound. Later that night, long after the 8 p.m. curfew had passed, the police began to disperse a group of rioters. While dispersing the mob, police maneuvered a mass of individuals down the street towards the auto shops. Rittenhouse and the others were threatened and taunted, but he did not react. Rittenhouse’s lawyer John M. Pierce explains “His intent was not to incite violence, but simply to deter property damage and use his training to provide first aid to injured community members.” At 11:44 p.m., police reported three or four people trying to light vehicles on fire at a car lot on 63rd Street and Sheridan Road.

As Kyle proceeded towards the second mechanic’s shop, he had obtained a fire extinguisher and ran along a driving area of a property bordering the nearby police-patrolled thoroughfare to pass it to someone else who was putting out auto fires started by the rioters. This conspicuous effort to quell the effects of the violence attracted the notice of rioters among the mass jealous of being upstaged by his participation in the (though largely-unwatched) prestigious type of act.

Soon he was accosted by multiple rioters who recognized that he had been attempting to protect a business the mob wanted to destroy. This outraged the rioters and created a mob now determined to hurt Kyle. They began chasing him down. A YouTube video shows the closest pursuer, attacker Joseph Rosenbaum, tossed an object at Kyle as he ran. Kyle attempted to get away, but he could not do so quickly enough. Upon hearing the sound of a gunshot behind him, Kyle turned and was immediately faced with Rosenbaum lunging towards him and reaching for his rifle. He reacted instantaneously and justifiably with his weapon to protect himself, firing and striking him. Rittenhouse stopped to render aid for his attacker.

Faced with a growing mob, Kyle fled for his safety and his survival. Another attacker struck Kyle from behind as he fled. Kyle turned as the mob pressed in on him, and he fell to the ground with people shouting “get him!” One attacker kicked Kyle in the head while he was on the ground. Another bashed him over the head with a skateboard. In fear for his life and concerned the crowd would either continue to shoot at him or use his own weapon against him, Kyle fired at his immediate attackers, striking two, including one armed with a Glock.

Rittenhouse got up and continued down the street in the direction of police with his hands in the air. He attempted to contact multiple police officers, but they told him to keep moving. He fully cooperated and turned himself in to the police in his hometown, Antioch, Illinois later that evening.

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