More facts have continued to emerge about a fatal shooting of protesters in Kenosha, by a 17 year old armed with a military grade, semi-automatic rifle.
Kyle Rittenhouse faces a first-degree intentional homicide charge after he was seen in multiple videos shooting at a crowd of protesters, killing two and leaving another injured.
The teenager was arrested on Wednesday morning and a quick look through his social media profiles reveal he is an avid gun lover and proclaims support for pro-police causes like the #bluelivesmatter and other non-profit programmes.
The protests had been against the shooting of a black man in the back, seven times by white police officers in Kenosha and the action of Rittenhouse, sent shock waves through an already divided, racially charged country; generating reaction from both government and individuals who not only condemned the shooting, but denounced the way things quickly escalated from peaceful protests, to full blown riots, arson and looting of businesses in Kenosha.
Away from the reactions however, New York Times carried out an investigation into the events surrounding the Kenosha shooting, and managed to chronicle the activities and movements of the teenager Kyle Rittenhouse through multiple videos and footages from bystanders and protesters.
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According to the findings of the video, Rittenhouse apparently carried out the shootings in self defence as he was pursued by gun wielding assailants who appeared to be protesters.
From the captured footages of the protests, most crowds contained demonstrators and armed civilians facing off against each other as well as against the Police on the streets of Kenosha.
Before the shootings happened, Rittenhouse was interviews on livestream at a Kenosha vehicle dealership, in the company of several armed men who were examining the ruins of the parking lot of the business as a result of vehicles that were set ablaze there the previous night by protesters.
Rittenhouse also appeared in a second interview with Richie McGinniss, an editor at local conservative news and opinion blog. In the interview, the teenager said he was guarding the car dealership from looters and protesters, adding that he took the task as his job.
The teenager also appeared in a third interview where he complained to the videographer that he had been pepper sprayed by an individual in a protesting crowd while he was protecting businesses and property.
Other footages obtained by the NY Times, showed Rittenhouse moving around the car dealership area and sometimes offering medical assistance to protesters.
A quarter of an hour before the first shot was fired, police officers offered water to the armed men, protecting business in the area, including Rittenhouse who leaves the dealership after a while.
He however tries to return to the area but is prevented from doing so by the police.
Six minutes after this, another footage shows Rittenhouse being chased by a group of protesters into the parking lot of another dealership just a few blocks from the one he was in earlier.
Although it is unclear, why the teenager was being pursued, one of the individuals making the pursuit fired a shot into the air and the muzzle flash is seen clearly in the footage.
Rittenhouse turns towards the sound of the gunfire just as another pursuer attempts to grab him. He escapes his grasp, and fires four times, shooting the assailant in the head.
The video then showed Rittenhouse making a phone call before running away from the scene with protesters chasing him, shouting, That’s the shooter!”
As the teenager ran he tripped and fell down on the ground before firing four shots into the pursuing crowd which hits one assailant in the chest and another gun wielding protester in the arm who fled from the scene immediately.
About 16 other gunshots are said to have rang out at the time of the shootings while police vehicles remained in place about a block away from the scene.
Another video then shows the teenage walking towards the police with his arms raised and bystanders telling officers that the teenager just shot some people.