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The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted of all charges after killing two men during protest

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Kyle Rittenhouse

Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after pleading self defense in the shooting of three men, two fatally, during demonstrations in Kenosha, Wis., last year. 

Rittenhouse, 18, had been charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering, according to the Boston Globe. 

Rittenhouse shot to death 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum, of Kenosha, and 26-year-old Anthony Huber, of Silver Lake, Wisconsin. He also wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, a volunteer paramedic and protester from West Allis, who testified in the trial.

“I thought that the defendant was an active shooter,” said Grosskreutz during the trial. He later added he believed “That I was going to die,” when he faced Rittenhouse.

The Kenosha shootings sparked debate and outrage throughout the nation after then 17-year-old Rittenhouse killed two men with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle during a protest over police violence in August 2020.

Rittenhouse had also been charged with possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, but Judge Bruce Schroeder threw out the charge, arguing that Wisconsin law did not apply to the gun Rittenhouse used.

According to the New York Times, testimony showed that the gun was purchased by a friend of Rittenhouse, as he was not old enough to purchase it at the time.

The jury deliberated for 26 hours before giving a verdict.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I defended myself,” said Rittenhouse during the trial. 

Rittenhouse’s actions sparked outrage from some who saw him as a reckless instigator, while others praised him for an act of heroism. 

“So many people look at this case and they see what they want to see,” said Thomas Binger, the prosecutor in the trial, to the New York Times.

Upon hearing the verdict, Rittenhouse cried and hugged one of his attorneys, reported the Boston Globe.

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Shealagh Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief | she/her
Shealagh is a senior majoring in journalism with a minor in international relations from Ashby, Massachusetts. She has previously worked as a co-op for the Boston Globe on the homepage desk and as an intern for GBH News and Boston Public Radio. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, finding a new favorite coffee spot and exploring Boston. She is a huge art lover and wants nothing more than to see the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. After graduation, Shealagh hopes to be a political journalist in Washington D.C. Follow Shealagh on X @ShealaghS.

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    AnonymousNov 20, 2021 at 4:19 am

    Great Article

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Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted of all charges after killing two men during protest