Kyle Rittenhouse arrived in downtown Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, with at least one mission in mind: to play the role of police officer and medic, joining a group of other armed civilians roaming the city streets, offering medical attention to strangers and protecting buildings from rioters. The night would end with Mr. Rittenhouse, then 17, engaging in violence himself, fatally shooting two men and wounding another. Hours later, he turned himself in to the police in Illinois, where he lived. For much of his life, Mr. Rittenhouse had tried on identities infused with bravery and service, while exaggerating his accomplishments and eventually dropping out of high school. At the time of the shootings, Mr. Rittenhouse was employed part-time as a lifeguard at a recreational complex in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., which borders Kenosha.

Source: New York Times November 11, 2021 04:20 UTC