A person who was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse, following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit against police for “allowing armed militia.” Eighteen-year-old Rittenhouse shot and killed two others, but Gaige Grosskreutz survived.
Rittenhouse has stated that he shot only in self-defense, saying that some were brandishing guns at him.
WISN reported that the lawsuit filed by Grosskreutz alleges that Rittenhouse, who lives in Antioch, Illinois, “joined white supremacist militia members who had answered a call on social media to travel to Kenosha and protect businesses during the protest.”
Rittenhouse, who will be on trial starting November 1, came to Kenosha following civil unrest that broke out in Kenosha over the officer-involved shooting of Blake.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the complaint filed by Grosskreutz, “lists 15 causes of action, from conspiracy to deprive Grosskreutz of his civil rights and obstruct justice, to violations of due process and equal protection, as well as First Amendment retaliation, assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress. It includes claims of negligent hiring, training and supervision of officers, failure of some to intervene against unlawful acts, and counts to hold the city and county liable for the actions of their employees.”
The lawsuit allegedly claims that the scenario would have been different if Rittenhouse was black. It says, “If a black person had approached police with an assault rifle, offering to patrol the streets with the police, he most likely would have been shot dead.”
The lawsuit reads, “If a black child had shot three citizens with an assault rifle and was seen walking away from the scene of the shooting with the assault rifle in hand, while other citizens yelled he was an active shooter, he would have been shot dead.”
One officer on video allegedly told members of the militia that “we appreciate you guys,” according to the lawsuit.
Grosskreutz implied that the police officers in Kenosha on the night of the shooting were allowing armed militia groups to patrol the streets and is claiming that the only reason they did so was because of the color of their skin.
Attorney Sam Hall, who is representing Kenosha County and Sheriff David Beth, told WISN on Friday that “the allegations are false.”
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
