Kyle Rittenhouse trial: Fatal shots of teenager came 2.5 seconds after another man fired in the air, videos show

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This first shot was fired by Joshua Ziminski, Kenosha Police Detective. Martin Howard testified. About 2.5 seconds later, Rittenhouse, 17 at the time, shot an unarmed Rosenbaum four times in a parking lot, killing him, Howard said. Three more shots then rang out, as the videos show, but Howard said investigators still don’t know who shot them.

Ziminski, 36, was separately charged with disorderly conduct using a dangerous weapon, arson and obstructing an officer, and he pleaded not guilty, court records show. A criminal complaint indicates that he admitted to firing a “warning shot” in the air that night.

Prosecutors released a dozen videos in court on Wednesday which, taken together, showed what happened before, during and after Rittenhouse killed two men and injured another in Kenosha. Rittenhouse, now 18, has pleaded not guilty to seven counts, including intentional first degree homicide, reckless first degree homicide and attempted first degree intentional homicide.

In opening statements, the prosecution said the evidence would show Rittenhouse was pursued and shot and shot Rosenbaum, 36, and then shot three other people who were trying to confront what they believed to be an active shooter. However, Rittenhouse defense attorney Mark Richards said Rittenhouse acted in self-defense, describing Rosenbaum as the assailant and the others as part of a “mob.”

Most of the facts of what happened that night are not up for debate – the heart of the lawsuit is rather the analysis of Rittenhouse’s actions and whether they can be considered “reasonable.”

The violence in Kenosha, a town of about 100,000, came amid a tense summer of protests and unrest as masses denounced the way the US police were treating black people. On August 23, 2020, a Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old black man, in the back. The ensuing public anger led to incidents of violence and destruction that night and the following night, prompting some people to arm themselves and take responsibility for the safety of the community.

Rittenhouse fired an AR-15 type weapon eight times during the unrest: four shots at Rosenbaum, who was unarmed; two shots at an unarmed stranger which kicked Rittenhouse; a fatal blow to Anthony Huber, who hit Rittenhouse with a skateboard; and a shot at Gaige Grosskreutz, who was holding a gun, prosecutors said.

Rosenbaum and Huber, 26, were killed and Grosskreutz, now 27, was injured.

What the videos showed

The videos, some of which were graphic, came from different angles and from various witnesses at the scene.

The first batch of videos showed the first shootout in which Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse and threw a bag at him. A gunshot then exploded, and Rittenhouse then shot Rosenbaum four times. Prosecutors showed graphic video of Rosenbaum lying on the ground with a head injury as people attempted to provide medical assistance.

As the video played in the courtroom, Rittenhouse’s head was pointed down, not watching the video.

Prosecutors then released various videos of people who pointed out Rittenhouse as he fled from the scene of the shooting and shouted that he had just shot a man. A mob started chasing Rittenhouse, who fell and then fired four more shots, the videos show.

Kyle Rittenhouse's trial is about to begin.  These are the 3 men he shot

In a video, taken earlier that night by Richie McGinniss, editor of Daily Caller, Rittenhouse said he was on the streets as a medic and other gunmen were there to protect him.

“Our job is to protect this business and part of my job is to help people as well,†said Rittenhouse. “If there is someone who is injured, I am in danger. That’s why I have my gun, because I obviously have to protect myself. I also have my medical kit.”

Koerri Washington, who broadcast the unrest in Kenosha live last August, testified early Wednesday as prosecutors released a video he took the night of the shooting. He testified that Rosenbaum acted “erratically” and that Rittenhouse chain smoked and appeared nervous that night.

Retail Howard testified that he examined Rittenhouse when he surrendered the day after the shooting.

Howard noted that Rittenhouse had a half-inch scratch above his left eyebrow, a small cut on the inside of his lower lip, a 2-inch scratch below his left collarbone, redness on his right side from his navel, a 2- one inch scratch on his left forearm, redness on his right forearm, redness on the tip of his right thumb, a scratch on his back near his left shoulder blade and two bumps on the left back of the head.

A friend who bought the weapon testifies

Dominick Black, 20, said he bought a rifle for Rittenhouse in May 2020.

Dominick Black, a 20-year-old friend who was dating Rittenhouse’s sister, testified on Tuesday as the first witness in the trial and said he had previously purchased an AR-15 gun for Rittenhouse in what prosecutors have said. called a “straw buy”.

Rittenhouse was too young to buy and own a gun, but he gave Black funds to buy the gun, Black said.

On August 25, 2020, Black and Rittenhouse each took a gun and ammunition and traveled to downtown Kenosha to attempt to protect a car dealership called Car Source, where around six or seven other armed people had gathered. Black climbed to the roof of the dealership that night because he felt being on the ground was too dangerous, he said.

“His word is final.  Kyle Rittenhouse trial judge considered tough jurist

At one point, he heard gunshots in the distance in an area where Rittenhouse was located.

“I didn’t believe the shots were his until I got a phone call. I answered it and he just said, ‘I shot somebody, I shot someone, “then hung up right away,” Black said.

Rittenhouse returned to the dealership “panicked”, pale and sweaty, Black said. They left Kenosha and went to Rittenhouse’s home in Antioch, and Rittenhouse surrendered to the police the next morning.

Black has been charged with two counts of intentionally giving a dangerous weapon to a person under the age of 18 causing death, court records show. He pleaded not guilty. He said on Tuesday he hoped the stance would lead to leniency in his case.

CNN’s Carma Hassan and Brad Parks contributed to this report.

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