Youth charged with killing two who protested at police shooting
Gunman, 17, arrested as violence escalates
A YOUTH of 17 has been charged with killing two activists when a crowd protesting over the police shooting of a black man clashed with a self-styled militia.
The deadly confrontation is a further escalation of the anarchy sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
A video camera captured a gunman running from a car park where one of the two victims was shot in the head. He sports an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and can be heard saying ‘I’ve just killed somebody’.
Police have charged Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, after arresting him at his home 30km away in Antioch, in the neighbouring state of Illinois. His posts on social media indicated he was a gun enthusiast and supporter of the police.
In a video posted on Twitter by a local reporter, he said: ‘So people are getting injured and our job is to protect this business. And part of my job is to also help people. If there is somebody hurt I’m running into harm’s way. That’s why I have my rifle because I need to protect myself obviously. I also have my med kit.’
The gunfire erupted late on Tuesday evening after a group of heavily armed men described by police as a ‘self-styled militia’ confronted protesters at a petrol station they claimed to be protecting.
The ‘Kenosha Guard’ had been appealing for armed volunteers to help defend homes and businesses in the city of 100,000 inhabitants.
It has been racked by nightly violence, arson and looting since Mr Blake was shot in the back seven times.
Sheriff David Beth said one victim was shot in the head and the other in the chest. A third person was wounded but the injuries are not thought life-threatening.
Devin Scott, who was among the protesters, said: ‘This guy with a huge gun runs by us in the middle of the street and people are yelling “He shot someone”. )
‘Everyone is trying to fight the guy, chasing him and then he started shooting again.’
Wisconsin governor Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency and called in 250 National Guardsmen. Mr Blake’s mother, Julia Jackson, called for an end to the violence in her son’s name. He has been left paralysed.
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