CONTROVERSIAL: Kyle Rittenhouse, Bad Parenting, & Racism
Ft. Andre Cato, Vanessa Jones, & Ed Bar
The Kyle Rittenhouse incident, which occurred in August 2020 during the Kenosha protests following the shooting of Jacob Blake, remains a highly contentious issue. At the time, 17-year-old Rittenhouse, armed with an AR-15 rifle, crossed state lines to assist in "protecting local businesses". Amidst the chaos, he shot and killed two people and injured another, claiming self-defense. His trial in November 2021 drew widespread attention and became a flashpoint for debates about gun violence, vigilantism, and racial justice. Rittenhouse was ultimately acquitted on all charges, further intensifying the divide between those who saw him as a hero defending himself and those who viewed him as a reckless vigilante.