Kyle Rittenhouse Bio: Background, Kenosha Shooting, & Legal Outcome

The shooting in the city of Kenosha in 2020 made Kyle Rittenhouse a household name. This specific incident generated a great deal of online discussion and debate on a variety of subjects. These subjects include social justice, vigilantism, and self-defence.

Even though this shooting event was the propellant that brought Kyle Rittenhouse into the spotlight, there is more to him than meets the eye.
In this article, we will look at the biography of Kyle Rittenhouse and discover the kind of person he really is beyond the spotlight.

Table of Contents

Kyle Rittenhouse Age

Kyle Rittenhouse was born in Antioch, Illinois, on January 3, 2003. His parents are Michael and Wendy Rittenhouse. From childhood, he had always been interested in serving the general public in any way he could.

When he became a freshman, he signed up for the Grayslake Police Explorer program and joined the Antioch Fire Department.

Regarding his academics, he only attended Lakes Community High School between 2017 and 2018, after which he decided to start taking classes online. After trying online courses for a while, he dropped out in 2018.

During his teenage years, he assisted different police support groups and helped them promote their fundraising activities. He also worked as a YMCA lifeguard and had the opportunity to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first-aid training.

The Kenosha Shooting

On August 25, 2020, a riot broke out in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, after a police officer shot a man named Jacob Blake.

Kyle Rittenhouse was 17 years old when this incident happened. According to reports, Kyle transitioned from Antioch to Kenosha while carrying a medical kit and AR-15–style rifle in his hands. He said he intended to provide first aid and protect public lives and properties.

That particular night, Kyle shot three individuals. Two out of these individuals died, while one survived. The names of the victims who died are Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. The name of the third victim who survived is Gaige Grosskreutz.

After the case was taken to court, it was stated by the prosecutor that Kyle was the one who escalated the matter in the first place by bringing a rifle to the scene and starting a confrontation. Kyle’s defense, however, stated that Rosenboam was the root cause of the incident because he was the one who lunged at Kyle in a parking lot.

According to reports, Kyle fled the scene after the shooting incident but turned himself in an hour later.

Legal Precedents and Verdict

After the court battle, Kyle was charged with five different crimes. During the trial, the defense argued that all that Kyle did was concerning self-defense; however, the prosecutor painted him as someone looking for trouble.

The court trial lasted for two weeks, and after about 27 hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted Kyle on all counts.

Public Life After Trial

After the November 19, 2021, verdict, Kyle became a public figure whose attention was drawn to the media. In 2022, he launched his YouTube channel to focus on guns, firearms, and Second Amendment Issues.

Later that same year, he moved to Texas and continued his education by taking online classes at Arizona State University.

Political Advocacy & Future Prospects

After his trial, Kyle had an opportunity to receive internship offers from Matt Gaetz and Madison Cawthorn, who are prominent GOP figures. This led to a lot of dispute and controversy online. Despite all this, Kyle, now in his early twenties, has continued advocating for gun rights and free speech.