Crime & Justice • Legal Case

Kyle Rittenhouse

Kyle Howard Rittenhouse is an American man known for shooting three men during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020, killing two and wounding one.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Kyle Howard Rittenhouse is an American man known for shooting three men during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020, killing two and wounding one. He was charged with multiple felonies, then acquitted in November 2021 after a jury found him not guilty on all charges.

Background

Kyle Howard Rittenhouse was born in 2003 and was 17 years old when the Kenosha shootings occurred in 2020. He lived in Antioch, Illinois, at the time of the incident.

Kenosha shootings

On August 25, 2020, Rittenhouse went to Kenosha during protests and unrest and shot three men with an AR-15-style rifle. Two of the men died and a third was seriously wounded.

Criminal case

Prosecutors charged Rittenhouse with multiple offences, including homicide counts and reckless endangerment-related charges. He was later tried in Wisconsin and found not guilty on all charges in November 2021.

After the trial

After his acquittal, Rittenhouse was no longer in custody on the case. Reporting after the trial said he later moved to Texas and has remained a public figure in debates about self-defence and gun rights.

Key facts

Rittenhouse gained national attention after the August 25, 2020 Kenosha shootings.
He shot three men during protests and unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake; two died and one was wounded.
He was charged with homicide-related offences and other counts by Kenosha County prosecutors.
A jury acquitted him of all charges in November 2021 after his self-defense argument at trial.
As of later reporting, he was living in the United States and had told jurors he was studying nursing at Arizona State University.

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Canadian context

Kyle Rittenhouse’s case received substantial coverage in Canada because it raised questions about self-defence law, firearms, and protests in the United States.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Kyle Rittenhouse?

Kyle Rittenhouse is an American man who became widely known after shooting three men in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020; two died and one was wounded.

How old is Kyle Rittenhouse?

Kyle Rittenhouse was born on January 3, 2003, making him 23 years old as of 2026.

What happened to Kyle Rittenhouse?

He shot three men during unrest in Kenosha in August 2020, was charged in Wisconsin, and was acquitted of all charges in November 2021.

What was Kyle Rittenhouse charged with?

He faced homicide-related charges and other counts, including reckless endangerment and attempted homicide-related allegations.

Where is Kyle Rittenhouse now?

Public reporting after the trial said he was living in the United States and later moved to Texas; some reporting also said he was studying nursing at Arizona State University.

Is Kyle Rittenhouse in jail?

No. He was released on bail during the case and was acquitted in 2021, so he is not in jail on this case.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Rittenhouse
Supports: Birth date, age, incident details, charges, and acquittal.
BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53934109
Supports: Age at incident, shootings, arrest location, and initial charges.
CBS News — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kyle-rittenhouse-trial-timeline/
Supports: Incident context, trial timeline, and reporting on later education.
NPR — https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/939002634/kyle-rittenhouse-accused-in-kenosha-wis-shooting-deaths-is-released-on-bail
Supports: Bail and custody status during the case.
PBS News — https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/kyle-rittenhouse
Supports: Acquittal on all counts.
Harvard Law School — https://hls.harvard.edu/today/acquitted-assessing-the-rittenhouse-trial/
Supports: Jury acquittal after trial.