Jacob Blake: Kyle Rittenhouse charged with six criminal counts

Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who was arrested in connection with shootings in Wisconsin that led to the death of two people and injury of another, has been charged with six criminal counts, according to the criminal complaint disclosed on Thursday.

The charges against Rittenhouse in Kenosha County include first degree reckless homicide in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum and first degree intentional homicide in the death of Anthony Huber, according to the complaint.

Who is the 17-year-old who shot Kenosha protesters?

Just a couple of days ago, very few people had heard of Kyle Rittenhouse or were aware of his keen interest in the police department, his obsession for law and order or his apparent lack of knowledge about open-carry of firearms in Wisconsin. The slightly chubby, nervous-looking teenage is now facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide after opening fire on at least three protesters as people took to the streets to demand justice for Jacob Blake in another night of riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Two of his victims - a 36-year-old from Kenosha and a 26-year-old from Silver Lake, just west of Kenosha died of their woundswhile a third, a 26-year-old from the Milwaukee suburb of West Allis remains critical in hospital. Unconfirmed reports on social media claim that the victims were Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. In Wisconsin, it is an offence for anyone under the age of 18 to openly carry a gun without a license. Rittenhouse is 17 although despite his age, he has been charged as an adult according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Rittenhouse armed with an AR-15

Several images and videos of Rittenhouse taken on Wednesday night have since surfaced. One showing him alone, carrying a rifle then tripping and falling to the ground as a group of protesters tried to apprehend him. On the ground, Rittenhouse fired several shots before getting back to his feet and walking slowing, hands in the air towards the police line. There was also a video of the self-styled vigilante earlier bragging to Daily Caller reporter Richie McGinnis, who asked why he was out on the street, armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Rittenhouse explained that he had taken to the streets fully armed to protect local businesses from being looted. “People are getting injured, our job is to protect this business and part of my job is to help people. If there is somebody hurt, I’m running into harm’s way. That’s why I have my rifle with me, to protect myself obviously but I also have my med kit”.

Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, was arrested at 5 a.m. on Wednesday and is being held without bail in the juvenile detention facility until a Friday hearing on whether to extradite him to Kenosha County.

A picture of Rittenhouse’s character is starting to emerge - he worked as a YMCA lifeguard and his postings on social media depict a young adult who is an avid supporter of the Blue Lives Matter movement, hero-worshipped the police and perhaps had dreams of entering the force himself after finishing his studies. Another image of Rittenhouse emerged, with rubber gloves and detergent, cleaning graffiti off a high school wall with a group of volunteers – reported to have been taken on Tuesday.