Holly MatkinKenosha, WI – Kenosha city and county are facing an anticipated $20 million lawsuit for allegedly allowing 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse to “roam the streets” of the city while armed with an AR-15.
“We’re basically looking to sue different actors within the city of Kenosha as well as the city of Kenosha itself who we believe were negligent in their allowing of Mr. Rittenhouse to indiscriminately run around during the week and protest with a loaded weapon,” attorney Kimberly Motley told WTMJ.
Attorneys for Rittenhouse, now 18, have maintained he was acting in self-defense when he fired his rifle.
Motley filed $10 million civil claim notice on behalf of her client, Gaige Grosskreutz, who was shot in the arm during the Aug. 25, 2020 incident.
The parents of 26-year-old Anthony Huber, who was killed in the confrontation, have also served their own $10 million claim notices with the county and the city, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
It is unclear whether or not any claim notice has been issued by the family of Joseph Rosenbaum, who was also killed during the shooting.
The claims were issued against “the City of Kenosha, Kenosha County, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, Police Chief [Daniel] Miskinis, Sheriff [David] Beth, and as-yet unknown employees or former employees” of the law enforcement agencies, according to WTXF.
“Kyle Rittenhouse, a minor from out of state, illegally armed with an assault rifle, was allowed – by the Kenosha Police and Kenosha Sheriff’s Department – to roam the streets, threatening numerous civilians and ultimately shooting three people,” the notices declared, according to WTXF.
Grosskreutz said he “suffered significant permanent physical damage, pain and suffering, loss of income and future earnings” as a result of the shooting.
Huber’s parents said their son was trying to “protect innocent civilians” when he was killed while attacking the teenager with a skateboard, WTXF reported.
They said they have also “suffered damages on their own behalf, including for the loss of companionship of their son,” according to the claim notice.
Wisconsin authorities have charged Rittenhouse with five felony counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, and a misdemeanor charge for possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor, WEAR reported.
Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to all charges on Tuesday.
Rittenhouse said he and his friend were in Kenosha at the request of a friend to help provide security for a car dealership owner who was concerned the business would be torched and looted during the violent riots that were taking place in the city, The Washington Post reported.
He and his friend later said they both thought they were getting paid for providing security at Car Source, according to the paper.
Attorneys for Rittenhouse have said that their client was protected under Wisconsin law and the Second Amendment when he defended himself during the riots.
“There is a massive amount of video evidence that shows…beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is not a legitimate criminal prosecution, it is a political prosecution,” attorney John Pierce said during a court hearing in November.
According to the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, the nights of fire, looting and violence left 35 small business completely destroyed and caused over $50 million in damages, ABC News reported.
The mainstream media and liberal groups have villainized the 17-year-old Rittenhouse as somebody who took his gun to Kenosha during the riots with the intent to kill someone.
However, both The New York Times analysis of the Kenosha riot videos and the criminal complaint charging Rittenhouse with the shootings show the teen may have been acting in self-defense when he pulled the trigger.
Rittenhouse is currently out on $2 million bail while awaiting trial.
