Remember Kyle Rittenhouse? The Illinois man who was found not guilty for fatally shooting two men and wounding another during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin? He’s back in the news.
He now wants the same gun he used to kill two people returned to him along with other property that was taken once he was arrested by police, according to the Associated Press.
This sounds like the St. Louis couple who waved their guns at Black Live Matters protesters during the George Floyd protests of 2020, had them seized by police and then asked for those same guns back. This same couple also attended the Rittenhouse trial.
Police have had the gun since the day after Rittenhouse shot three men on Aug. 25, 2020, during protests over the shooting of Jacob Blake, by a white police officer, according to the Associated Press
Mark Richards, Rittenhouse’s attorney, filed paperwork with the Kenosha County Circuit Court seeking the return of the AR-15, his clothes worn the night of the shooting and other items.
According to the Kenosha News, Rittenhouse wants the gun back so it can be destroyed.
Then why not just keep it in police custody?
More from the Associated Press:
Rittenhouse turned himself into police in his then-hometown of Antioch, Illinois, within hours of the shootings. In November, the 19-year-old was found not guilty of all charges related to the shooting deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz. Conservatives and gun rights advocates rallied around Rittenhouse in the days after his arrest, saying he was defending Kenosha from far-left militants. Others painted him as a trigger-happy vigilante.
Rittenhouse family spokesman David Hancock said Thursday that Rittenhouse wants to destroy the rifle and plans to throw out his clothing so that no one can use any of it to “celebrate” the shootings.
“At the end of the day, two people did lose their lives, period,” Hancock said. “That weapon was involved in that. That weapon doesn’t belong on a mantle. It doesn’t belong in a museum. It belongs where Kyle wants it, and Kyle wants it destroyed. ... There’s plenty of people out there who would like to hold these items up, on both sides. That’s nothing Kyle’s interested in.”
Rittenhouse said he went to Kenosha to protect property from rioters and that he acted in self-defense after he came under attack and feared for his life.
The firearm was purchased for Rittenhouse by Dominick Black since Rittenhouse was 17 and unable to legally buy a gun. It was going to be given to him once he turned 18 on Jan. 3, 2021, according to the Associated Press.
Other things Rittenhouse wants to be returned include the ammunition, sling and magazine from the gun. He also wants his clothing from the night of the shooting, cellphone, face mask and $1 bill.
Ain’t no way he is hurting for money with all the press he’s been getting.
The court hearing on the motion is going to be on Jan. 28, according to the Associated Press.
If Rittenhouse gets his gun back, we’ll see if he destroys it.