Testifying on the stand Wednesday, Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, broke down into sobs while recalling the fatal shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum.
Rittenhouse, detailing the moments before he fired on Rosenbaum recalled Rosenbaum yelling “burn in hell” to him before Rittenhouse yelled “friendly, friendly, friendly!” in an attempt to calm Rosenbaum. But he was chased.
Rittenhouse described feeling “trapped” by Rosenbaum and another man, identified during the trial as Joshua Ziminski, who fired his pistol in the air. The teen said the man had the pistol pointed at him during the incident.
Before describing his actions to fire, Rittenhouse sobbed uncontrollably and a ten minute recess was called.
Rittenhouse was 17 years old when he was arrested for fatally shooting two men, as well as injuring a third during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Rittenhouse has been charged with five felony counts and one misdemeanor, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.
Rekieta Law, a verified legal YouTube account with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, posted video reacting to the trial, live, Wednesday. The legal commentators, who were shocked at the move by defense to call Rittenhouse, said that the teen seemed “very credible” and “believable,” noting he likely has PTSD.
Earlier during his testimony, Rittenhouse revealed that Rosenbaum threatened to kill him two times prior to the fatal incident, on August 25, 2020.
“If I catch any of you f***ers alone I’m going to f***ing kill you,” Rosenbaum said to Rittenhouse and a friend, the teen testified.
On another occasion, he told the two males, “I’m going to cut your f***ing hearts out and kill you N-words,” Rittenhouse said, noting that Rosenbaum did not use the term “N-word” but used the real racial slur.
Rittenhouse said he did not know Rosenbaum prior to the threats. At the time, Rosenbaum was clothed and wearing a “blue mask.”
After the break ended and Rittenhouse returned to the stand, the teen said Ziminski told Rosenbaum, “Get him and kill him,” referring to Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse was chased down and despite pointing his gun at Rosenbaum, the man did not stop, but lunged for his gun. “I remember his hand on the barrel of my gun,” he told the jury.
Rittenhouse said he wanted to treat Rosenbaum after he fired off four shots, and said a Daily Caller reporter was trying to tend to him, too. But moments later, people were yelling threatening remarks at him and he took off to find police — which he viewed as “safety” from the chaos and threats — to turn himself. Rittenhouse additionally said he went to police because he knew he “didn’t do anything wrong” and he was just defending himself.
“Get him, get him!” Rittenhouse recalled a “mob” yelling at him, chasing him. Others yelled, “cranium him” and “kill him,” as well.
WATCH: Kyle Rittenhouse breaks down on the witness stand while describing the events leading to his fatal shooting of Kenosha resident Joseph Rosenbaum — causing the judge to call a pause in the trial https://t.co/6zHGXaFu9m pic.twitter.com/od3Vd4i3UG
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 10, 2021
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