Kyle Rittenhouse: Weapons charge against accused US teen dropped

Tensions are high in a Wisconsin city where closing arguments have begun in the trial of a US teen who shot three people during civil unrest last year.

Kyle Rittenhouse faces five felony charges after he shot two men dead and wounded another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last August. He has pleaded not guilty.

Earlier on Monday, the judge dismissed a misdemeanour weapons charge against Mr Rittenhouse, a blow to prosecutors.

Ahead of the verdict, 500 National Guard troops were placed on standby.

The case has become politically divisive and its result will be closely watched across the nation. In a statement, Governor Tony Evers urged people to “respect the community by reconsidering any plans to travel there” in response to the verdict.

If Mr Rittenhouse is convicted on the most serious charges, he could face life in prison.

In August of last year, riots had erupted on the streets of Kenosha after police shot Jacob Blake, a black man. Mr Rittenhouse had travelled to the city from his home in Illinois and, with a semi-automatic rifle in tow, he said he sought to help protect property from unrest on the streets.

Defence attorneys for the young gunman have said he acted in self-defence on the night of 25 August 2020, but prosecutors allege he came looking for trouble that night and behaved like a vigilante.

“You cannot claim self-defence against a danger that you create,” lead prosecutor Thomas Binger told the court on Monday in his closing statement.

“If you’re the one who’s threatening others, you lose the right to claim self-defence.”

Mr Binger – the assistant district attorney for Kenosha – questioned why Mr Rittenhouse broke curfew in a city he did not live in and “pretended to guard” people and property he was not familiar with.

“He ran around with an AR-15 all night and lied about being an EMT [emergency responder]. Does that suggest to you that he is genuinely there to help?” asked the prosecutor.

Mr Rittenhouse was 17 years old when he fired the fatal shots that killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, while also wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, 27.

On Monday, defence attorneys successfully argued that Wisconsin law could be interpreted to allow him to possess the firearm despite being under the age of 18. Judge Bruce Schroeder agreed to drop the charge prior to closing arguments.

The judge is yet to rule on a motion for mistrial brought up by Mr Rittenhouse’s lawyers last week and has indicated he may do so later today.

Five hours have been allotted for closing arguments before the jury enters into deliberations.