Victims and family members of those who were shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin are suing the city for $20 million over law enforcement’s “intentional acts of negligence.”
Back in August, 17-year-old Rittenhouse opened fire and killed two protesters — Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. He also shot Gaige Grosskreutz, but he survived the attack. On Sunday (Jan. 3), Huber and Grosskreutz’s estates issued a notice of claim against the City and County of Kenosha, Kenosha County sheriff, the Kenosha police chief and employees of the Sheriff’s Office and Police Department, according to NY Daily News. They are each seeking $10 million.
Grosskreutz says he suffered “significant permanent physical damage,” in addition to pain and suffering, loss of income and future wages because authorities did not stop Rittenhouse.
The teen is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of reckless endangerment. He claims he acted in self-defense when he shot the three men. He said 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 Washington Post.
The City of Kenosha is now preparing for possible civil unrest as they await the results of the Jacob Blake shooting. The city’s district attorney will announce whether or not Officer Rusten Sheskey will be charged for shooting Blake in the back several times as he was trying to enter his vehicle.
“We will not — we can not — tolerate the kind of violence we saw on our streets earlier this year and we will take definitive steps to protect our residents and businesses,” Mayor John Antaramian and Police Chief Daniel Miskinis wrote in an op-ed in the Kenosha News.