Police arrest 17-year-old on homicide charges after shooting at Kenosha protest kills 2

Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of a nearby Illinois town was arrested Wednesday and will be charged with first degree intentional homicide. Video captured someone holding a long gun and shooting at protesters in Kenosha, killing two people. The gunman was also seen on video raising his arms and walking toward police vehicles, but they drove past him, per the Journal Sentinel.
Protests have gone on for three days in Kenosha, and have devolved into some fires and violence at night, after police shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. Blake was walking to his car where his children were sitting inside, and witnesses say he had just broken up a verbal fight. Blake survived, but is now paralyzed from the waist down, at least temporarily, his father said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Armed people purporting to be a "militia" have come to downtown Kenosha over the past few days, writing online that they were trying to "defend" the city, per the Journal Sentinel. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said he wasn't sure if Rittenhouse was part of one of these groups.
On Wednesday, President Trump announced he would send federal law enforcement and more National Guard members to Kenosha, joining an already militarized police force and the National Guard members Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wisc.) had deployed to the city. Kathryn Krawczyk
Update 3:30 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to specify that Rittenhouse has been charged with homicide, not murder.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
A wine-themed tour of beautiful Uruguay
The Week Recommends Secret paradise in South America boasts beautiful vineyards
By The Week UK Published
-
Romanian democracy: no place for the 'TikTok messiah' Calin Georgescu
Talking Point State is 'fighting back' against poster boy for right-wing conspiracists
By The Week UK Published
-
5 terrifically taxing cartoons about tariffs
Cartoons Artists take on rising prices, dumb ideas, and more
By The Week US Published
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Police ID driver of exploded Cybertruck, can't see motive
Speed Read An Army Green Beret detonated a homemade bomb in a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Teenage girl kills 2 in Wisconsin school shooting
Speed Read 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow fatally shot a teacher and student at Abundant Life Christian School
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Penny acquitted in NYC subway choking death
Speed Read Daniel Penny was found not guilty of homicide in the 2023 choking death of Jordan Neely
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Suspect in CEO shooting caught, charged with murder
Speed Read Police believe 26-year-old Luigi Mangione killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published