An organisation raising funds for Kyle Rittenhouse’s legal defense published a viral video that allegedly tells the truth about the 17-year-old accused of fatally shooting two men during the Jacob Blake riots in Kenosha.
An organization raising funds for Kyle Rittenhouse's legal defense published a viral video that tells the truth about the 17-year-old accused of fatally shooting two men during the Jacob Blake riots in Kenosha.
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View on YouTube#FightBack Foundation, a free speech group that has raised nearly $2 million in funding for Rittenhouse's legal fees, posted the 11-minute footage to several alternative, anti-Big Tech video sharing platforms. A downloadable version is available on the association's website.
"Every decade or so, a legal matter arises that holds the power to negatively affect our lives for generations to come," the video is prefaced. "Regardless of what side of the political spectrum you identify with, this is about you."
Scenes of the Kenosha riots overlayed the violent introduction, depicting arson, commercial grade fireworks used as projectiles in public streets, and trash receptacles pushed as barricades and ignitors.
"To prevent the total destruction of their communities, good Samaritans united to guard local businesses," the narrator continued, then naming Rittenhouse.
Then graphics profiled the youth, listing his background as a lifeguard, reportedly trained in advanced life support with hundreds of hours of volunteered service to his community.
"So people are getting injured," Rittenhouse spoke on camera at the time. "Our job is to protect this business. Part of my job is to help people. If there's somebody hurt, I'm running into harm's way."
Rittenhouse then referred to his rifle as a means of protection, also demonstrating his medical kit strapped to his side.
In one scene, Rittenhouse is shown alerting the public that he is an emergency medical technician. "I am an EMT! Come to me!" he ushered in a hurt individual grasping on two others for physical support.
But then tensions rose as rioters set a dumpster ablaze, moving it towards a gas station. A militia guard quickly extinguished the flames, angering the alleged fire-starter, 36-year-old Joseph Don Rosenbaum—known now as one of two Black Lives Matter activists allegedly shot dead by Rittenhouse.
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View on XRosenbaum's criminal history was outlined. The registered sex offender was convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor and crimes against children.
According to court documents from the Superior Court of Arizona in Pima County, Rosenbaum was sentenced for the molestation and rape of five boys between the ages of nine and 11.
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View on XThen Rosenbaum reportedly retaliated, focusing his attention on a guard in a green t-shirt dressed similarly to Rittenhouse. Rosenbaum was also allegedly seen starting more fires down the street. Simultaneously, Rittenhouse was spotted running with a fire extinguisher.
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View on XAccording to the tape, Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse. A single gun shot was fired by a protester, identified as Alexander Blaine, a 44-year-old Sin City Disciples gang member and amateur porn actor. A muzzle flash of Blaine's hand gun was visible before Rittenhouse was pinned between parked cars.
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View on XRewinding the pivotal moment frame-by-frame, the sequence illustrated reporter Richard McGinniss filming the foot pursuit on his cell phone, following close behind. Directly in front of Rittenhouse, a mob armed with bats formed a barricade.
The teen's back was to the initial shot, unknowing of the intent of the bullet's direction. Rittenhouse lunged for the barrel of his rifle and then turned around, pointing his weapon at Rosenbaum. Rittenhouse fired four shots. Seconds later, three additional shots were fired by an unknown shooter. One bullet grazed Rosenbaum's head. Another penetrated his right groin, his left thigh, and his back. With a total of eight shots fired, it was unclear whether all four wounds were caused by Rittenhouse, the video stated.
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View on XAs McGinnis attended to Rosenbaum's wounds, Rittenhouse returned to call for help, reporting: "I just shot somebody. I had to shoot him."
The crowd gathered to attack Rittenhouse and the boy was forced to flee the scene.
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View on X"Did Kyle Rittenhouse have reason to believe his life was in danger?" the voice over asked.
Rittenhouse was seen next running towards the flashing lights of police cruisers, telling a videographer that he was seeking law enforcement's aid. "Cranium that boy. He just shot a man," one rioter was heard shouting. "Cranium" is street slang for a headshot.
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View on XThen an unidentified protester rushed Rittenhouse, knocking his hat off his head. Rittenhouse tripped and fell to the ground. Another instigator attempted to jump on Rittenhouse who fired two shots into the air. With blunt force, 26-year-old Anthony Huber bludgeoned the teen with the sharp edge of a skateboard while reaching for the boy's rifle. Rittenhouse fired a single shot, striking the man in the chest.
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View on XHuber was designated a repeat domestic abuse offender in one case. According to the Kenosha Reporter, Huber was also arrested for strangulation and suffocation, use of a dangerous weapon, false imprisonment, battery, and disorderly conduct related to a separate instance of domestic assault.
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A third protester, 27-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz, pretended to surrender then advanced with a handgun pointed at Rittenhouse. A single shot struck Grosskreutz's right bicep at close range, partially blowing his arm off.
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View on XGrosskreutz, a member of the People’s Revolution Movement, was found guilty in 2017 of wielding a firearm while intoxicated.
While visiting Grosskreutz in the hospital, a friend posted on Facebook, claiming in a statement: "I just talked to Gaige Grosskreutz too. [H]is only regret was not killing the kid and hesitating to pull the gun before emptying the entire mag into him. Coward."
When a fourth protester raised his arms in surrender, Rittenhouse "exhibited remarkable judgement" by not firing his weapon, the video went on. Moving towards authorities, Rittenhouse experienced multiple gunshots fired off behind him.
Rittenhouse attempted to turn himself in to police, but his involvement in the shooting was muffled by the night's confusion. Rittenhouse was reportedly ordered to move away. For his safety, Rittenhouse left the area.
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View on XThe video continued to provide a deep dive on Rittenhouse, an enlightened side of the youth that the mainstream media refuses to cover and instead chooses to smear.
Earlier that fateful day, Rittenhouse was photographed removing graffiti from the exterior of a public high school near the Kenosha County Courthouse just hours before the civil unrest ensued.
And in December 2018, Rittenhouse started a Facebook fundraiser for a non-profit called Humanizing the Badge. In his own words, Rittenhouse sought to "forge stronger relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve." He urged his friends to donate to the pro-cop charity for his 16th birthday.
At 15-years-old, Rittenhouse participated in a youth public safety cadet program in Chicago's far northern suburbs. His since-deleted Facebook profile pictures often used the "thin blue line" frame, a symbol of solidarity with police. Another stated in the picture's periphery: "We Back The Blue." Several posts paid tribute to a Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty in 2018 and the life of McHenry County sheriff's deputy lost last year.
"A 17-year-old American citizen is being sacrificed by politicians. But it's not Kyle Rittenhouse they're after. Their end game is to strip away the constitutional rights of all citizens to defend our communities, our personal property, our lives, and the lives of our loved ones," the video concluded.
"Do you have 11 minutes to learn truth? During the afternoon of Tuesday, September 22, the truth about Kyle Rittenhouse will be told in 11 minutes. Every lie will be revealed," Rittenhouse's high-profile attorney, Lin Wood, tweeted a day ahead of the video's #FightBack against censorship campaign launch.
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View on XTo Twitter's chief executive officer Jack Dorsey, Wood wrote: "Hey, Jack. @fightbacklaw has a deep bench. You ain't seen nothing yet. You cannot censor TRUTH."
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View on XTo Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg, Wood called the billionaire a "liar" for branding Rittenhouse a "mass murderer."
Facebook began blocking searches for Rittenhouse's name the week of the shooting, according to The Verge. Site administrators confirmed the tech site's findings but downplayed the significance of the measure. “It’s not actually new,” a representative stated. “We block searches for a ton of stuff—for instance, child exploitation content.” In a previous statement on the shooting, Facebook emphasized that officials were limiting the spread of information in the wake of the incident: “We’ve designated this shooting as a mass murder and have removed the shooter’s accounts from Facebook and Instagram."
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View on XThen sharing the video uploaded to YouTube, Wood stated: "Once YouTube sees or hears the word TRUTH, an effort to CENSOR will follow. We have some tricks up our sleeve for YouTube. Every lie will be revealed."
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View on XWood then vowed to tweet various links secure from censorship. "We are prepared to #FightBack efforts to hide the truth," he signed off, adding "The Internet is forever..."
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View on XThe Post Millennial reached out to one of Rittenhouse's criminal defense lawyers for comment, Marina Medvin.
Medvin advises that the video was released by the Foundation, which is separate from Kyle’s criminal defense team. At this time, the legal team does not have a comment on the video.
Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree reckless homicide for the death of Rosenbaum—which may result in a prison sentence of up to 60 years—and Huber, a life imprisonment threat. The teen was also charged with the attempted first-degree intentional homicide for the shooting of Grosskreutz, which may warrant a 12-year sentence.
Wood told Kenosha News that Rittenhouse, an Illinois resident, plans to fight extradition from his home state to Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Wood's client was taken into custody in Antioch, Ill., following the shooting and remains in custody in Lake County. The minor is being held on a $2 million warrant from Kenosha County. The teen's extradition status hearing will be held on Friday.
"The present plan is to oppose extradition at this time," Wood wrote in an email to local reporters. "There are several legal issues which need to be addressed with respect to the issue of extradition."
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