Kyle Howard Rittenhouse (born January 3, 2003) is an American man who gained national attention at age 17 for shooting three men in Kenosha, Wisconsin, two fatally, in August 2020, amid protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. He had traveled to Kenosha during the unrest and joined a group of armed people who said they were there to protect businesses. In a series of confrontations, Rittenhouse fatally shot two men who had tried to grab his gun and non-fatally injured another who had pointed a handgun at him. Rittenhouse was charged by Kenosha County prosecutors with multiple criminal counts, including homicide. Rittenhouse's lawyers argued that Rittenhouse had acted in self-defense, and he was acquitted in November 2021. Two civil lawsuits against him were pending as of February 2023.
Rittenhouse's prosecution attracted widespread media coverage. Following his acquittal, he attended several events hosted by conservative organizations and individuals, including a meeting with President Donald Trump, interviews with political commentator Tucker Carlson, and guest appearances at several Turning Point USA productions. Images of Rittenhouse have been used for political purposes by both right-wing and left-wing actors, becoming an internet meme, and appearing on commercial products. Several proposed laws were named after him, he was offered several internships by Republican politicians, and he appeared in a video game.
Since his trial, Rittenhouse has operated a gun rights YouTube channel and raised money for unspecified defamation lawsuits against media companies.
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