Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

In a Bizarre Turn of Events, NYT Investigation of Kenosha Shooting Makes a Strong Case for Self-Defense
RedState ^ | August 27, 2020 | streiff

Posted on 08/27/2020 10:48:31 AM PDT by sickoflibs

As a recap, two nights ago 17-year-0ld Kyle Rittenhouse was serving with an armed citizen’s militia group to attempt to prevent property destruction at the hands of the Democrat-endorsed and mostly peaceful arsonists and rioters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. During the course of the evening, Rittenhouse became isolated, was attacked, chased, and beaten in the street. At the end of it all, Rittenhouse was alive, two Antifa goons were dead and a third is learning to become left-hand dominant. Rittenhouse was arrested on the charge of first degree murder. Wisconsin law requires anyone older than 16 to be tried as an adult for serious felonies.

There has been a lot written here and other places about the shooting. The key element is whether the lethal encounter between Rittenhouse and a raging mob was self-defense or was it some form of unlawful killing. The best primer on that subject has been written by our own shipwreckcrew Breaking Down The Videos Of The Two Shooting Incidents In Kenosha — Self-Defense?

Today the New York Times runs a story that analyzes all the available video to give a second by second account of Rittenhouse’s actions. I was skeptical going into it because the strong bias of the New York Times is pro-antifa, anti-gun, and anti-self-defense.

About 15 minutes before the first shooting, police officers drive past Mr. Rittenhouse, and the other armed civilians who claim to be protecting the dealership, and offer water out of appreciation.

Mr. Rittenhouse walks up to a police vehicle carrying his rifle and talks with the officers.

He eventually leaves the dealership and is barred by the police from returning. Six minutes later footage shows Mr. Rittenhouse being chased by an unknown group of people into the parking lot of another dealership several blocks away.

I think this is a critical part of the story. The question in my mind has been how did Rittenhouse come to be isolated and surrounded by a feral mob? Earlier video has him with a large group. Did he go off on his own looking for trouble? The answer seems to believe that as part of a de-escalation strategy at the dealership, the police were refusing to allow people in and, as people left they were kept out. So by Rittenhouse leaving the premises he becomes separated from other militia members and this makes him a target.

While Mr. Rittenhouse is being pursued by the group, an unknown gunman fires into the air, though it’s unclear why. The weapon’s muzzle flash appears in footage filmed at the scene.

Mr. Rittenhouse turns toward the sound of gunfire as another pursuer lunges toward him from the same direction. Mr. Rittenhouse then fires four times, and appears to shoot the man in the head.

This is the NYT video

The muzzle flash of the first shot by the unknown gunman and the smoke rising from the handgun can be seen in this video capturing the first shooting from a different angle. pic.twitter.com/ddRjsgiMN7

— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) August 27, 2020

I’m not using the same video as the NYT here as I believe this is tells more of the story

WATCH: A video sync of the Kyle Rittenhouse shooting in Kenosha, WI with multiple camera angles and object highlights. pic.twitter.com/61XMCdHcmK

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 26, 2020

You see the pedophile, Rosenbaum, chasing Rittenhouse and hurling something at him. Then you hear the first shot (0:07). Clearly pistol. Then you hear four shots (0:11) and you see Rosenbaum stretched out. And finally there are three additional shots (0:15). Those three, to me, sound like a rifle. Were they fired by Rittenhouse? Or is there a third firearm involved?

Regardless, the sequence of events is that Rittenhouse becomes separated from his group. He’s pursued by men, including Rosenbaum, who throw a potentially lethal projectile or projectiles at him. Someone shoots. It doesn’t really matter who or why. At this point an sane person would assume that the shot was fired by the people chasing him.

The facts here are that Rittenhouse did not start the conflict, he did all that could be demanded of him in even a “duty to retreat” state. He is definitely in reasonable fear of his life after the first gunshot.

Mr. Rittenhouse seems to make a phone call and then flees the scene. Several people chase him, some shouting, “That’s the shooter!”

As Mr. Rittenhouse is running, he trips and falls to the ground. He fires four shots as three people rush toward him. One person appears to be hit in the chest and falls to the ground. Another, who is carrying a handgun, is hit in the arm and runs away.

Mr. Rittenhouse’s gunfire is mixed in with the sound of at least 16 other gunshots that ring out during this time.

They sugarcoat this more than a little. Rittenhouse is punched in the back of the head (0:05). He stumbles and falls (0:12). At 0:15 he gets kicked in the face as Skateboard Boy hits him across the shoulders with his vehicle. At his point Skateboard Boy is shot while Rittenhouse is flat on his back. Left charges him and gets winged and starts screaming “Medic!” apparently forgetting that he is portraying himself as one (physician, heal thyself).

Then the really important part. As Rittenhouse moves off, and note that he fires only two shots and he doesn’t point the weapon at anyone, you hear numerous other gunshots. Presumably, these come from one or more Antifa nutter blazing away or engaging in celebratory gunfire.

All in all, it looks pretty obvious that all three shootings were definitely justified. Rittenhouse was trying desperately to escape, he was pursued, and Antifa caught him. Before they could kill or maim him, he killed two of them and wounded a third.

But Rittenhouse’s problems are far from over. As my friend and colleague Mike Ford told me earlier today, the process is going to be the punishment here and they are going to screw him on some weapons-related charge. You can’t stretch out three Democrat voters in the streets of a Blue city in a Blue state and walk away from it. It is bad for the morale of the troops.


TOPICS: Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: kenosha
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last
Lots of videos at link
1 posted on 08/27/2020 10:48:31 AM PDT by sickoflibs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

I thought I heard this reported on my radio news, I almost fell over.


2 posted on 08/27/2020 10:50:57 AM PDT by 1Old Pro (#openupstateny)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

Of course they do, right on time. Left finally realizes the violence is hurting them, so how to stop it? Change the narrative.


3 posted on 08/27/2020 10:51:46 AM PDT by TiGuy22
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

Tremendous victory. Two dead, one maimed, all bad guys!


4 posted on 08/27/2020 10:51:54 AM PDT by HIDEK6 ( God bless Donald Trump.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

“The question in my mind has been how did Rittenhouse come to be isolated and surrounded by a feral mob? Earlier video has him with a large group. Did he go off on his own looking for trouble?”

All the video I have seen so far points to self defense. However if he did something before that to start the sequence of events then it might not be so clear cut.

And a 17 year old being out at night 30 miles from home armed with a long gun seems like a very stupid idea.


5 posted on 08/27/2020 10:56:02 AM PDT by FewsOrange
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

I’m sure the NYT’s first thoughts were “Damn, a white Hispanic shooter but no black victims, Damn!”.


6 posted on 08/27/2020 10:57:43 AM PDT by hardspunned (MAGA, now more than ever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

tried as an adult but not old enough to carry a gun

?


7 posted on 08/27/2020 10:57:52 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange
And a 17 year old being out at night 30 miles from home armed with a long gun seems like a very stupid idea.

neither does being an 18 year old diffusing IED's roadside in Iraq, but some people are patriots and risk life and limb.

8 posted on 08/27/2020 10:58:44 AM PDT by 1Old Pro (#openupstateny)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

You can’t stretch out three Democrat voters in the streets of a Blue city”

Except all 3 Antifa were convicted felons with sexual assualt and/or domestic violence convictions. The DOJ is already looking at the DA in the MO case of self-defense.

I think Don Lemon and the NY Times are telling the Democrats to retreat. They do not want this to draw out through election day. It will only fire up the Republican and Independent voters to defeat the Dems.


9 posted on 08/27/2020 10:58:56 AM PDT by Azeem (There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro

They don’t want to get sued. Kyle may have Sandmann’s lawyer representing him.


10 posted on 08/27/2020 10:59:14 AM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange
RE:”And a 17 year old being out at night 30 miles from home armed with a long gun seems like a very stupid idea.”

He's probably been watching all the riot vids posted on twitter and got worked up.

If he had stuck with CNN or MSNBC he wouldn't even know that there was trouble in the cities.

11 posted on 08/27/2020 11:00:57 AM PDT by sickoflibs (BREAKING NEWS: BLM cures COVID-19, it's safe to go out and protest Trump again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro

I suspect we have Lin Wood to thank if they’re cutting their losses...


12 posted on 08/27/2020 11:01:21 AM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

More good info coming out and filling in the blanks. He is unfortunately still going to get “Zimmerman’d”


13 posted on 08/27/2020 11:01:55 AM PDT by Magnum44 (My comprehensive terrorism plan: Hunt them down and kill them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro

“neither does being an 18 year old diffusing IED’s roadside in Iraq”

That 18 year old was probably trained for the task.


14 posted on 08/27/2020 11:03:28 AM PDT by FewsOrange
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange
That 18 year old was probably trained for the task.

If the taxpayer funded police don't keep the streets safe it's possible the patriots are less than adequately trained, that's what happens when Dem mayors have the police stand down, people take matters into their own hands.

15 posted on 08/27/2020 11:07:08 AM PDT by 1Old Pro (#openupstateny)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: hardspunned
I’m sure the NYT’s first thoughts were “Damn, a white Hispanic shooter but no black victims, Damn!”.

No Skittles or Arizona Ice Tea, either.

16 posted on 08/27/2020 11:18:31 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets ("Women's intuition" gave us the Salem witch trials and Kavanaugh hearings. Change my mind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro

The word is “defuzing” not “diffusing”.


17 posted on 08/27/2020 11:18:49 AM PDT by Chainmail (Remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Redmen4ever

So in the Antifa.us twitter thread there is this....John Monroe a gun rights lawyer says 17 years old is ok to open carry in WI.

Hopefully, that clears him of a gun charge.


18 posted on 08/27/2020 11:21:20 AM PDT by joshua c
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange
And a 17 year old being out at night 30 miles from home armed with a long gun seems like a very stupid idea.


19 posted on 08/27/2020 11:22:04 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets ("Women's intuition" gave us the Salem witch trials and Kavanaugh hearings. Change my mind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Redmen4ever

Sorry, Antifawatch.us twitter thread


20 posted on 08/27/2020 11:22:37 AM PDT by joshua c
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson