Man charged with murder in Kenosha shootings
Kyle Rittenhouse, who is charged with shooting and killing two men during this week’s violent demonstrations in Kenosha, will remain in Lake County, Illinois, for another month after a judge on Friday allowed a delay in the court process that could send him to Wisconsin to face the allegations.
Judge Paul Novak granted a 30-day continuance during a brief online status hearing on Rittenhouse’s potential extradition to Kenosha County, where he faces a murder charge and several other counts.
The assistant public defender representing him in the extradition case, Jennifer Snyder, asked for the delay as Rittenhouse’s family seeks a private attorney to represent him. His next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25.
Rittenhouse, 17, of Antioch, Illinois, did not appear at the hearing.
Kenosha County prosecutors on Thursday evening filed charges accusing Rittenhouse of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.
An intentional homicide charge amounts to a firstdegree murder charge in Illinois. The reckless homicide charge amounts to a second-degree murder charge here. If convicted of the first-degree intentional homicide charge as an adult, Rittenhouse could face a life sentence. Wisconsin does not have the death penalty.
Rittenhouse is accused of shooting the men Tuesday night as numerous civilians armed with rifles inserted themselves into violent demonstrations that raged for three nights in the city just over the Wisconsin border. The protests, clashes with police and fires followed an officer’s shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, who according to a video appeared to have had his back turned to the cop who fired.
Rittenhouse was arrested as a fugitive Wednesday in Lake County. He is charged in Wisconsin as an adult. Earlier this week, a judge ordered him held without bail at the Lake County juvenile detention facility.
Records show Rittenhouse has worked as a YMCA lifeguard. His social media postings show that he idolizes police and has participated in programs for aspiring cops.
Numerous video clips posted online appear to show Rittenhouse at the scene Tuesday night with a rifle, including several that show shootings and their aftermaths. The videos also indicated that he approached police before the shootings despite being out past curfew and a year too young to carry a gun openly in Wisconsin.
Those videos, along with interviews by Kenosha detectives, are the backbone of the complaint against him.
Rittenhouse came to the demonstrations with a
Smith & Wesson AR-15style .223 caliber rifle with a 30-round magazine, the charges allege.
Video showed Rittenhouse running across the parking lot of an auto dealer where cars had previously been burned, trailed by Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, of Kenosha, prosecutors wrote. Behind Rosenbaum was Richard Mcginniss, a videographer at the Daily Caller, a conservative website.
Video showed Rosenbaum seemingly throwing something at Rittenhouse, and investigators later determined it was a plastic bag, prosecutors wrote. Rittenhouse was not hit. Prosecutors wrote that Mcginniss told police that “as the defendant was walking, Rosenbaum was trying to get closer to the defendant. When Rosenbaum advanced, the defendant did a ‘juke’ move and started running.”
Rosenbaum appeared to have been unarmed, prosecutors wrote.
Prosecutors wrote that as Rosenbaum and Rittenhouse approached a black car, a loud bang was heard and a male shouted, “F--- you!” As the men were close to one another, four loud bangs sounded and Rosenbaum fell, prosecutors said. Mcginniss told police Rosenbaum had tried to grab the gun, prosecutors wrote.
Rittenhouse approached Rosenbaum on the ground, and Mcginniss took off his shirt and tried to give the wounded man aid, prosecutors wrote. Rittenhouse got on his cellphone, made a call, and audio from one of the videos caught him saying, “I just killed somebody,” the complaint alleges. Investigators learned that call was to a friend, prosecutors wrote.
An autopsy showed Rosenbaum had gunshot wounds to the groin, back, hand and thigh, as well as a graze wound to the forehead, prosecutors wrote. The charge of firstdegree reckless homicide stems from that shooting. Rittenhouse is charged with recklessly endangering Mcginniss’ safety.
Prosecutors wrote that video shows that after that shooting, Rittenhouse ran north on Sheridan Road with people in pursuit, with some yelling things such as “Hey, he shot him!” and “Get that dude!” Someone swung at him and knocked his hat off before he tripped and fell to the ground, prosecutors wrote.
An unidentified male jumped at Rittenhouse, and he fired at him from the ground, apparently missing, prosecutors alleged.
A man carrying a skateboard and later identified as Anthony Huber, 26, of Silver Lake then approached Rittenhouse as he was still on his back, prosecutors wrote. Huber reached for the gun as the skateboard hit Rittenhouse’s shoulder before the alleged gunman fired one shot, and Huber staggered away and collapsed, prosecutors alleged.
The autopsy showed the bullet hit Huber’s heart and one of his lungs, prosecutors wrote. Huber’s death is the source of the murder charge.