Kyle Rittenhouse was congratulated by former President Trump after a jury found him not guilty of all counts in his homicide trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Friday afternoon.
Rittenhouse was acquitted of all five accusations brought against him by a jury in Kenosha, including intentional homicide.
In a statement released Friday, Trump stated, “Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges.”
“It’s called being found NOT GUILTY – And by the way, if that’s not self-defense, said Trump.
After fatally shooting two individuals and injuring a third amid civil disturbance in Kenosha last year, Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, and two charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
After obtaining an AR-15 from a buddy, Rittenhouse drove from Illinois to Kenosha, where he arrived as protestors were protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot seven times in the back by police.
Blake managed to survive the shooting, but his injuries rendered him paraplegic.
The defense maintained that Rittenhouse used his AR-15 in self-defense after demonstrators attacked him throughout the trial, which lasted approximately two weeks.
According to his evidence, his lawyers said he was at the rally with a firearm to protect local shops from looters.
Prosecutors said Rittenhouse came to Kenosha searching for trouble and contended that the deaths could not be called self-defense if Rittenhouse initiated the attacks.
After three and a half days of deliberation, the jury unanimously acquitted the adolescent.If convicted of deliberate homicide, Rittenhouse could have faced life in prison.
The Rittenhouse case is contentious, and the jury’s decision has split the country.
On Friday afternoon, conservatives and Republican legislators applauded the ruling, with members of Congress such as Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) offering the kid an internship.
“My friends, Kyle Rittenhouse is not guilty.”
In a video released on social media on Friday, Cawthorne stated, “You have a right to protect yourself, so be armed, be dangerous, and be moral.”
