Kyle Rittenhouse Says He ‘Would Have Died’ During Riot, Fired Rifle to Protect Himself

Kyle Rittenhouse sits while listening during an extradition hearing in Lake County court in Waukegan, Ill., on Oct. 30, 2020. Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo, Pool

The Illinois teenager accused of fatally shooting multiple people during a protest that turned violent in Kenosha, Wisconsin, earlier this year said during a jailhouse interview he fired his gun in self-defense.

“I feel I had to protect myself,” Kyle Rittenhouse said during the interview, reported the Washington Post. “I would have died that night if I didn’t.”