Kyle Rittenhouse was met with standing ovation and deafening cheers as he took the firework-filled stage at the Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix on Monday.
The 18-year-old waved to his adoring audience as he strutted onto the huge stage at the event on Monday night for a panel discussion on the 2020 Kenosha shootings which saw him kill two protesters last year.
Lavish pyrotechnics signaled Rittenhouse's arrival, with loud rock music playing and deafening cheers erupting from the thousands of young conservatives who'd paid to see him, and who got on their feet to signal their approval.
Fox News reporter Elex Michaelson was among attendees, and tweeted: 'Kyle Rittenhouse gets a rock star reception at the Turning Point USA event in AZ.
'The teen was found not guilty of criminal charges after admitting to shooting & killing two people in WI. He says it was self defense. He’s now seen as a hero by some activists on the right'
Kyle Rittenhouse was met with standing ovation and deafening cheers as he took the firework-filled stage at the Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix on Monday (pictured)
During his panel appearance, Rittenhouse reflected on how his murder trial, which ended with his acquittal last month, matured him and the role his faith played in his experience.
'It's helped me grow a lot, it's helped me mature,' Rittenhouse told the crowd. 'My mentors who have been in my life … they've helped make me the person I am today, so thank you for them.'
He shared how he leaned into prayer to help him get through the stressful trial and that he believes the Lord remains with him, even after he was acquitted of first-degree intentional homicide and four other felony charges.
'I believe God's been with me every day of the trial, every day since Aug. 25 … I pray to him every single night … I pray for strength to get through whatever happens to me.'
A month after his acquittal, donning a blue suit and tie, Rittenhouse walked out on the Phoenix stage Monday surrounded by roaring cheers from the audience which was mostly comprised of high school and college-aged people.
He was joined by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and conservative commentators Jack Posobiec, Elijah Schaffer and Drew Hernandez for a panel called 'Kenosha on camera,' which addressed the events of Aug. 25, 2020.
During the panel, the teen shared how he found strength and talked about his decision to take the stand to provide his account of the shootings.
'I wanted to tell the world what happened in Kenosha, the truth, unlike what the prosecution tried to do, and that's why I took the stand,' he shared.
Rittenhouse's lengthy two-week trial added to the already divisive narrative on racial injustice that has flooded the nation.
His attorneys argued the teen acted in self-defense when he fired the shots that killed two men and injured a third during a protest in Wisconsin over the shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake, by a white Kenosha police officer.
Rittenhouse (right) was joined by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk (middle) and conservative commentators Jack Posobiec (left), Elijah Schaffer and Drew Hernandez for a panel called 'Kenosha on camera,' which addressed the events of Aug. 25, 2020
A month after his acquittal, donning a blue suit and tie, Rittenhouse walked out on the Phoenix stage Monday surrounded by roaring cheers from the audience which was mostly comprised of high school and college-aged people
The prosecution portrayed Rittenhouse - who had been charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangerment in the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz, 27 - as the instigator of the violence, claiming that he 'provoked everything' by bringing a rifle to the protests.
The state also tried to paint him as a 'wannabe soldier' who had gone looking for trouble, while his supporters regarded him as a patriot who took a stand against lawlessness.
Rittenhouse was ultimately successful thanks to multiple blunders by prosecutors, which painted a picture of the teen as someone who did indeed act in self-defense when he shot Rosenbaum and Gruber dead.
Rittenhouse, speaking at the conference Monday, shared that although he had 'really long days' preparing for the trial, the risky decision to take the stand was ultimately the right one.
'I wanted to tell my story,' he stated.
Rittenhouse told the crowd: 'I wanted to tell the world what happened in Kenosha, the truth, unlike what the prosecution tried to do, and that's why I took the stand'
Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum (left), 36, with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle after Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse across a parking lot and threw a plastic bag at him shortly before midnight on August 25, 2020. Moments later, as Rittenhouse was running down a street, he shot and killed Anthony Huber (right), 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin. The teen was acquitted on all charges connected to their deaths
The teen also shared how he watched the trial turn in his favorite, alleging the prosecution knew their case was failing.
'I thought they knew they were losing and wanted a mistrial. My favorite part though was 'don't get brazen with me,'' he said, referencing the comment Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder scolded Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger over his cross-examination of Rittenhouse.
While his future remains uncertain, Rittenhouse did hint the audience may want to 'be on the lookout' for a lawsuit against the media outlets he feels misconstrued what happened before and at the Kenosha shooting.
He did, however, applaud a handful of reporters for sharing his story.
'Thank God for all of these independent journalists like Elijah and Drew [and Julio], if they hadn't been there... shout out to all of the independent journalists who help to provide the truth,' he told the crowd.
Rittenhouse (pictured left on Aug. 25, 2020) traveled to Kenosha during a protest that broke out after a white Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake, a black man, in the back last summer
Rittenhouse (pictured on Aug. 25, 2020) said that he went from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha to protect property from rioters but that he acted in self-defense after he came under attack and feared for his life
Rittenhouse also offered his supporters some advice, reminding them to 'always be humble and look at the positive in life'.
He added: 'Focus on today and not tomorrow, you can only live one day at a time.'
Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges in the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz. The shooting occurred during a tumultuous night of protests over the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Businesses in Kenosha, Wisconsin were ransacked and burned in the nights that followed Blake's shooting.
Rittenhouse said that he went from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha to protect property from rioters but that he acted in self-defense after he came under attack and feared for his life.
Post a Comment