MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CRIME & JUSTICE

Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse’s lawyer says teen shot in self-defense: ‘Americans should never be deterred’

Ahead of his extradition to Wisconsin, Rittenhouse’s defense attorney Lin Wood said, "Americans should never be deterred from exercising their right of self-defense”

KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: A lawyer of a teenager who allegedly killed two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha on Tuesday, August 25, has said that his client acted in self-defense. Kyle Rittenhouse allegedly killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber while the victims were out on the streets protesting the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake. The 29-year-old African-American man was shot at least seven times in the back on August 23 as he tried to enter a car.

After the Tuesday shooting spree, Rittenhouse, who was reportedly seen on the streets of the city with an AR-15-style rifle, was arrested on August 26 in his hometown, Antioch, Illinois, 15 miles from Kenosha. He now faces multiple charges that include one count of first-degree intentional homicide, one count of first-degree reckless homicide, one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. The Sun reported that if he is found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, the 17-year-old will be sentenced for life.

Ahead of his extradition to Wisconsin, Rittenhouse’s defense attorney Lin Wood said, “From my standpoint, it’s important that the message be clear to other Americans who are attacked that there will be legal resources available in the event false charges are brought against them. Americans should never be deterred from exercising their right of self-defense.”

Wood also took to Twitter and wrote: “Thanks to ALL Freedom Loving Americans who responded to requests for contact information on Kyle Rittenhouse. We have connected with Kyle’s family & help is on the way. Kyle will have excellent legal representation. We owe him a legal defense."

"Many others will need your help in coming days. Stay strong. Continue to speak truth. Continue to demand justice under our Constitution. Continue to be fearless," he added.

He concluded his statement with, "Most important of all, continue to pray for your fellow citizens. Pray for our President. Pray for our country. And always, always, always #FightBack. We will not go quietly in the night. We are Americans.”

The statement from the attorney came after Kenosha police chief Daniel Miskinis seemed to blame victims for their deaths. “Last night, in a situation that began peaceful and turned somewhat unruly ... persons who were out after the curfew became engaged in some type of disturbance and persons were shot. Had persons not been out involved in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened."

Meanwhile, far-right media pundit Ann Coulter has shown support for Rittenhouse and tweeted, “I want him as my president” as she responded to a tweet that read, “I want Kyle Rittenhouse as my bodyguard.” However, Coulter's tweet no longer appears online.

Her stand did not go down well with many people on Twitter as they immediately slammed her. "You want a 17yo kid who drove to Wisconsin from Illinois with an AR, as president. What happened to you?" one user asked her on Twitter. "Ann Coulter supports a white supremacist? That’s so on brand of her," tweeted another one. "What the hell is wrong with you? Two people are dead and you’re celebrating? Somebody wasn’t hugged as a child!", added the third social media user.