Rittenhouse: 'I had to protect myself'

FPI / November 24, 2020

Kyle Rittenhouse posted a $2 million bond on Friday and was released from jail. He is expected back in court in December.

Prior to his release, the 17-year-old Rittenhouse told The Washington Post in an interview that he acted in self-defense on the night he fatally shot two rioters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

“I feel I had to protect myself,” he said. “I would have died that night if I didn’t.”

“I do consider myself patriotic, I love our country,” Rittenhouse said during the phone interview.

Asked by the Post why he decided to bring a gun to Kenosha, Rittenhouse said: “I was going into a place where people had guns. And God forbid somebody brought a gun to me and decided to shoot me … I wanted to be protected, which I ended up having to protect myself.”

“What were you thinking the evening would be like?” The Post asked the teen.

“I was just, like, watching over business and providing first aid for, like, minor injuries to people.”

Rittenhouse said he was “not part of any group,” as The Post noted there were other individuals helping to protect businesses in Kenosha. “They were complete strangers,” he said.

Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and attempted intentional homicide in the wounding of a third person and a misdemeanor charge of underage firearm possession.

Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, claims he acted in self-defense when he shot and killed rioters Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and wounded a third man.

Rittenhouse's $2 million bond was raised with the help of “NYPD Blue” actor Ricky Schroder and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, The Daily Wire reported.

Attorney Lin Wood, who’s representing the teen, posted a photo of his client alongside attorney John Pierce and Schroder on his Twitter account Friday night.

“FREE AT LAST!!!” Wood captioned the post, adding, “Thank you; All Donors. Thank you, All Patriots. Thank God Almighty.”

“KYLE RITTENHOUSE IS OUT OF JAIL,” the lawyer posted in another tweet. “God bless ALL who donated to help #FightBack raise required $2M cash bail.”

“Special thanks to Actor Ricky Schroder,” he added, “& Mike Lindell” “for putting us over the top. Kyle is SAFE. Thanks to ALL who helped this boy.”

Free Press International