Teenager Kyle Rittenhouse just got acquitted on all charges for the August 2020 shootings of three men, wherein two people were killed as per CBS News. Rittenhouse’s attorneys argued that he only shot at these men in self-defense.
18-year-old Rittenhouse faced five charges, which included first-degree intentional homicide, which typically carries a sentence of life in prison.
On August 25, 2020, Rittenhouse went to Kenosha during the protests which were caused by police shooting and wounding Jacob Blake. He maintained that he only wanted to help protect local businesses as well as provide first aid. He was armed with an AR-15 style rifle at the time where he ended up shooting three men, killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz as per CBS News.
The jury, comprising of seven women and five men, deliberated for three and a rd4half days and after hearing from more than 30 witnesses over two weeks of testimony has found Rittenhouse not guilty.
Rittenhouse broke down crying after he heard the verdict and he even collapsed to the floor before someone helped get back into his chair.
In a statement as per CBS News, Huber’s family mentioned that they were “heartbroken and angry” over the not guilty verdict. “Today’s verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. It sends an unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street.”
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