Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who was charged for fatally shooting two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, has been released from prison on $2 million bond.
On Friday (Nov. 20), Rittenhouse posted bail through his lawyer around 2 p.m. CT. He faces multiple charges, including reckless endangerment, intentional homicide and being a minor in possession of a firearm. He will be due back in court on Dec. 3 for a preliminary hearing.
On Aug. 25, the teen was caught on camera running around with his AR-15 rifle. Video footage from the night of the deadly shootings showed an armed Rittenhouse running away saying, “I just shot someone,” after one protester was fatally gunned down.
On Thursday (Nov. 19), The Washington Post posted a telephone interview where the incarcerated teen spoke about purchasing the AR-15 by using his COVID-19 stimulus check. “I got my $1,200 from the Coronavirus Illinois unemployment because I was on furlough from YMCA and I got my first unemployment check, so I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll use this to buy it,’” he said.
He claims he acted in self-defense when he killed two protesters and injured a third. He says he only traveled to Kenosha to protect local businesses and render first aid to people. “I was going into a place where people had guns, and God forbid somebody brought a gun to me and decided to shoot me … I wanted to be protected, which I ended up having to protect myself,” he told the outlet.
Rittenhouse also said that he does not regret being armed and feels like he would not be alive today if he did not have a weapon. “No, I don’t regret it,” he said. “I would have died that night if I didn’t. I feel like I had to protect myself.”