Separate claim notices filed by both a victim of Kyle Rittenhouse and the family of another could potentially put the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department on the hook for up to $20 million in damages.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the claims were filed by the parents of Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old who was fatally shot, and Gaige Grosskreutz, a 26-year-old who was severely injured when 17-year-old Rittenhouse opened fire with an AR-15 during an August protest in Kenosha, Wisc., over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. It’s unclear if a claim notice was filed on behalf of Joseph Rosenbaum, a 36-year-old who was also fatally shot during the incident.
Kimberly Motley, Grosskreutz’s attorney, told the Journal Sentinel that both claims allege that the relative inaction by Kenosha police and Kenosha County Sheriff’s deputies were partially responsible for the shooting. “We believe there was some level of negligence on behalf of the city and county,” Motley added.
The Sentinel notes that claim notices are typically the first step towards lawsuits being filed against a local government.
While the claims are lacking in certain details, Motley explained that it’s due in part to the plaintiffs wanting to avoid interfering with the ongoing prosecution against Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse, an Illinois resident, currently faces five felony charges in Kenosha. While Rittenhouse claimed he fired his gun in self-defense, first-degree intentional homicide is among the charges.
Despite Rittenhouse being arrested and charged, the law and order crowd rallied behind an alleged killer for some mysterious reason and raised the $2 million necessary to free him on bail. Last month, a judge ordered Rittenhouse to stand trial, and he is set to be arraigned on Jan. 5 in Kenosha County Court.
Elsewhere in Kenosha, precautions are being put in place as officials await the district attorney’s decision on whether the officers involved in the Jacob Blake shooting should be charged. Among the planned precautions are a curfew, road closures, and a designated area for demonstrators. Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian (D) has said that a decision should be expected within the upcoming weeks.
Blake was walking away from police officers when he was shot multiple times in the back. Blake fortunately survived the shooting but was paralyzed from the waist down.