Watch Kyle Rittenhouse’s interview with Danielle
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What’s the interview about?
The interview starts with Danielle asking Kyle about the 2000 Mules premiere at Mar-a-Lago, and if he thought it was fun. Kyle responds by saying that he thought that the movie was great and that there is a lot of evidence in the movie. He also claims that journalists should pay more attention to all of the overwhelming evidence presented in the movie. Danielle makes her views about the case clear at the beginning of the interview- she maintains the view that Kyle Rittenhouse is innocent. She then asks Kyle where he would go to college. Kyle vaguely responds by saying that he would go to a college in Texas. Then, Danielle responds by saying that she found out on social media that Kyle was going to Texas A&M, to which a panicked Kyle responds by saying “Maybe…”
Danielle then asks Kyle about his life before the recent events, to which Kyle responds by saying that he had an ordinary life and that he dropped out of high school in the 9th grade to help out his family. He states that he was just a normal teenager.
The Kyle Rittenhouse shootings case explained
Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Antioch, Illinois, fatally shot two persons and wounded another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 2020. The shootings happened amid the demonstrations, rioting, and social disturbance that erupted when a white police officer fatally shot a black man, Jacob Blake. Rittenhouse was cleared of all charges after asserting that self-defence was his only agenda that caused the incident to happen. Rittenhouse was carrying an AR-15-style semi-automatic weapon and had joined a gang of armed men in Kenosha who claimed to be there to defend businesses.
A chain of tragic events
Rittenhouse was chased into a parking lot by Joseph Rosenbaum, a 36-year-old unarmed Kenosha man. Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum four times at close range while the latter was attempting to disarm him by seizing the barrel of his firearm. A throng chased Rittenhouse as he escaped. Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old Silver Lake resident, was tragically shot in the chest by Rittenhouse after colliding with him on his skateboard. Gaige Grosskreutz, a 26-year-old West Allis man who was armed with a revolver, was shot in the right arm by Rittenhouse but survived.
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Two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide, two counts of reckless endangerment, one count of unauthorized possession of a firearm, and one case of curfew violation were filed against Rittenhouse.
His counsel maintained that his acts were in self-defence throughout his trial, which lasted from November 1 to November 19, 2021. The accusations of unauthorized possession and curfew violation were dropped by Judge Bruce Schroeder as legally unsustainable, and a unanimous jury found Rittenhouse not guilty of the other offences.
Public opinion regarding the verdict divided
The shootings brought to the fore a riot of public opinion, and media coverage was both contentious and political. Several right-wing politicians and figures applauded Rittenhouse’s acquittal, claiming that the shots were in self-defence, while Joe Biden urged for the jury’s decision to be upheld. Several left-wing politicians and figures condemned the verdict as a miscarriage of justice, claiming that it exemplified the American court system’s racial double standards.
Gun control proponents expressed concerns that the decision will encourage vigilantism. During the trial, an Economist/YouGov survey revealed that two-thirds of Republicans believed Rittenhouse should be acquitted, while three-quarters of Democrats believed he should be convicted.
Peaceful protests in Kenosha on August 25 were followed by turmoil at night, when protestors, armed individuals, and others clashed with one another and the police. Despite a nighttime curfew, social media had lured locals and strangers, left-wing activists and right-wing militia onto the city streets after the city suffered damage to buildings and vehicles the day before. A total of 250 men of the National Guard were sent to the city. Boogaloo lads and a motorcycle gang with “hatchets, ball bats, and weapons” were among the militia.
Reason for protests before the shooting
Protests occurred in Kenosha on August 23, 2020, following the killing of Jacob Blake, an African-American man who was shot seven times by a Kenosha police officer and subsequently paralysed from the waist down. Between August 23 and September 1, demonstrations in Kenosha featured rallies, marches, property destruction, arson, and fights with police, after a rise in Black Lives Matter protests following additional high-profile shootings of African-Americans by police officers in 2020.
Former Kenosha alderman Kevin Mathewson issued a plea for “patriots eager to take up weapons and protect” Kenosha on the Kenosha Guard militia group’s Facebook page on August 25. In reaction to the George Floyd demonstrations earlier that year, Mathewson organized the Kenosha Guard. InfoWars took up and republished the event post, headlined “Armed Citizens to Protect Our Lives and Property.” It drew a bigger number of armed men than earlier rallies in Wisconsin that summer, thanks to a national and international internet response. Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian and County Sheriff David Beth both expressed their displeasure with armed people patrolling the streets, although several Wisconsin cops were seen on a video handing them water and remarking, “We appreciate you guys, we really do.”
Mr Rittenhouse was interviewed at a Kenosha auto dealership by the producer of a video live stream about two hours before the first gunshot. Mr Rittenhouse arrived along with numerous other armed guys. Some were on the roof of the building, looking out over the parking lot where automobiles were torched the day before. He introduced himself as “Kyle”. After a brief live stream chat. Mr Rittenhouse also chatted with Richie McGinniss, a video editor at the conservative news and commentary website Daily Caller. Mr Rittenhouse claimed he was there to safeguard the company. Although there is no indication that he was instructed to protect the location, he referred to it as his work.
Later, while guarding property, he told another filmmaker that he was pepper-sprayed by someone in the mob nearby. Mr Rittenhouse appeared in this region in most of the footage seen by The New York Times prior to the shootings. Protesters also got medical help from him. Police officers drove past Mr Rittenhouse and the other armed individuals who claim to be defending the dealership around 15 minutes before the first gunshot and gave water as a gesture of gratitude. Mr Rittenhouse approached a police vehicle, his rifle hanging by his side, and spoke to the cops.
He ultimately left the dealership and was prohibited from returning by the police. Mr Rittenhouse was chased by an unknown group of individuals into the parking area of another dealership several streets away six minutes later.
The First Shooting
While the gang was pursuing Mr Rittenhouse, an unknown gunman fires into the air for unknown reasons. The muzzle flare of the firearm could be seen in footage taken at the site. As another pursuer leapt for him in the same way, Mr Rittenhouse turned toward the sound of gunfire. Mr Rittenhouse then fired four shots, perhaps hitting the victim in the head.
The Second Shooting
Mr Rittenhouse appeared to be on the phone before fleeing the area. “That’s the shooter!” said one of the individuals chasing him.
Mr Rittenhouse tripped and fell to the ground while sprinting. As three individuals rushed toward him, he fired four rounds. One individual seemed to have been struck in the chest and collapsed. Another, armed with a pistol, got shot in the arm and fled.
Mr Rittenhouse’s bullets were drowned out by at least 16 more gunshots that rang out at the same moment.
Police intervention
During the firing, police cars located barely one block away stayed still. Mr Rittenhouse approached the police cars with his hands raised. Officers were alerted by bystanders who reported that he had recently shot individuals.
On their way to aid the victims, the cops passed him by without pausing. Following the shootings, local officials stated that a curfew of 7 p.m. would be in effect until Sunday. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said that hundreds more soldiers of the state’s National Guard will be dispatched to Kenosha.
Kyle Rittenhouse’s Trial Verdict
After pleading self-defence in the tragic Kenosha shootings, Kyle Rittenhouse was cleared of all counts. After hearing the verdict, Mr Rittenhouse, 18, began to cry, dropped to the floor, and held one of his attorneys. The jury, which looked to be mostly white, deliberated for over three and a half days.
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If found guilty of the most serious allegation, first-degree intentional killing, or first-degree murder in some states, Mr Rittenhouse could have faced a life imprisonment sentence.
Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder informed the jurors that the court would take “every effort” to secure their safety as he dismissed them. Mr Rittenhouse was quickly rushed out a back door past the judge’s chambers by a sheriff’s officer. Prosecutor Thomas Binger stated after the verdict that the jury had spoken. Wisconsin Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, a Black Democratic Senate candidate in Wisconsin, was enraged by the decision.
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