More than three years after he fatally shot two people during an anti-police brutality protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Kyle Rittenhouse announced Sunday that he’s releasing a book about his “story of survival, resilience and justice.”
“I never wanted to be a public figure,” Rittenhouse, now 20, wrote on a website promoting orders for his book, “Acquitted.” “I went to Kenosha to help my community — not become a whipping boy in the national debate. In less than three minutes, the direction of my life was horribly altered when I was forced to defend myself with deadly force.”
The website includes zero details about a potential publisher or when the book will be available, except for a vague statement promising to “ship as soon as we can.”
During his widely publicized trial in November 2021, Rittenhouse tearfully testified that he acted in self-defense when he shot three people with the AR-15-style rifle that he brought to the protest, killing two and injuring one. He said he went to the protest to help protect private property and act as a medic. A jury ultimately found him not guilty on five criminal charges, including two counts of homicide and one count of attempted homicide.
Rittenhouse became something of a darling among right-wing circles after his trial: Former President Donald Trump said Rittenhouse had visited him at Mar-a-Lago; Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said he would be open to hiring Rittenhouse as a congressional intern; and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia introduced a bill to award him the Congressional Gold Medal (the bill has no co-sponsors).
He has also prolonged his moment in the sun by positioning himself as a victim of the “liberal media.” He has spoken at conservative events, including at a Turning Point USA conference in 2021. He started a “Media Accountability Project” to “fundraise and hold the media accountable for the lies they say.” He launched a YouTube channel about guns last year that appears to have been abandoned.
Rittenhouse…
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