Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty, a year after the unrest in Kenosha, Wis. A story of violence and vigilante justice whose newest chapter has been told. 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was on trial for his life after Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, at a protest sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was left paralyzed after an encounter with a white officer Aug. 23, 2020.
The shooting and killing of African-American men by Police have continued to be a grave injustice, that has triggered past and recent riots in this country. These tragedies have happened all too often, with black men being killed more than their white counterparts in American society.
Despite efforts to create meaningful police reform, (“not defund”) there has been little to any. The GOP has made it a politically toxic undertaking because they only want the word "reform" when it suits them. They are not actually doing anything about creating safer communities or improving quality of life for all Americans. However, we cannot let this go unchallenged! VOTE!
This 17-year-old crossed state lines with an AR15 which he planned to use if needed. This gun is the same model used in the Parkland shooting, both used by a child to kill unarmed people. His stated intentions were peaceful: offering medical aid, while protecting property although he would have saved more lives by staying home instead, if we are being honest here.
What will come from this jury's verdict, could it trigger more incidents were young men travel across state lines, with a false belief that they are needed as part of some unregulated militia? Only time will tell. Maybe it’s as simple as parents should control the assault rifles their children have access to, and maybe not drive them across state lines to take part in an armed conflict.
The White House released a statement from President Biden Friday saying that the verdict "will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included," but that "we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken." Biden urged people to refrain from violence and property destruction and said he had contacted Wisconsin's Governor to offer "support and any assistance needed to ensure public safety."