When it comes to being categorized as a racist, Kyle Rittenhouse says he is not. In fact, in his interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Rittenhouse says he supports the Black Lives Matter movement but believes there are other better ways to exercise our rights, before adding that he is not a “political” person despite his actions and his trial being highly politicized.
As it has been reported, then just 17 years old Kyle Rittenhouse killed two men and injured a third when he attended the Kenosha protests that took place after Jacob Blake was shot by police. He attended the protest armed, but in his interview says there was a reason for his actions. Earlier this week, Rittenhouse, now 18, was acquitted by a jury of all the charges against him.
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While talking with Carlson, Rittenhouse revealed that he was staying at a friend’s house when the protests began. However, because he believed there was a lack of resources provided to the police during the protests, Rittenhouse took matters into his own hands. After cleaning up graffiti, Rittenhouse said he ran into the owner of a car lot called CarSource and he offered to help protect his business from rioters. The owner took Rittenhouse up on his offer.
“I’m not really sure where [the police presence] was because they had a hard job for sure – but I didn’t really think they got the support they needed,” Rittenhouse said. “The governor, Tony Evers, failed the community and there should have been a lot more resources to help with that.”
While attending the protests, Rittenhouse revealed he encountered one of his victims, Joseph Rosenbaum, twice. According to Kyle Rittenhouse, Rosenbaum was threatening many of the protestors and using the “N-word” while spewing hate.
“There was actually a second time [I encountered him and] he said to the group, he said, this is the second time he threatened to kill everybody,” Rittenhouse admitted. “He said, I’m going to f-ing kill you, cut your hearts out you f-ing N-words.”
Shortly after, Rittenhouse encountered his second victim, Anthony Huber, who reportedly struck Rittenhouse in the head with a skateboard. After also killing Huber and injuring his third victim, Rittenhouse claims he attempted to turn himself in, but he was initially unsuccessful.
According to Rittenhouse he tried to turn himself into the Kenosha police department but was told to “go home.” He believes the officer didn’t hear him admit to shooting the protestors because of all of the commotion.
Eventually, Kyle Rittenhouse traveled to his hometown police department to turn himself in. “I go back to CarSource Lot Number 2, and I tell everybody there what happened. I said, ‘I had to do it.’ I was just attacked. I was dizzy. I was vomiting. I couldn’t breathe,” he said.
“We couldn’t – I wanted to turn myself in to the police in Kenosha but I wasn’t able to because they weren’t accepting visitors, apparently with the barricades and the fence up so we ended up turning myself into the Antioch police department.”
Later on in his interview, Rittenhouse also addressed being called a White Supremacist by President Joe Biden. “Mr. President, if I would say one thing to you, I would urge you to go back and watch the trial and understand the facts before you make a statement. It’s actual malice; defaming my character for him to say something like that.”
Since his acquittal, this photo has been making its rounds on social media. Several people suggest the photo is off Kyle Rittenhouse flashing a symbol used by white nationalists while inside a bar often frequented by members of the Proud Boys group.
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And in response to how his trial was covered in the media, Kyle Rittenhouse commented that it, at times, felt like he wasn’t on trial but the “right to self-defense” was what was on trial. “If I was convicted, no one would ever be privileged to defend their life against attackers,” he told Tucker Carlson. “Apparently, to many people on the left, it is criminal to protect your community.”
In the end, Rittenhouse revealed that he hopes he can now live a stress-free life. He also wants to become a nurse one day, or even a lawyer. Following his acquittal, the families of Rittenhouse’s victims are expected to sue the teenager.