U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie issued a strong message of support Thursday for Kyle Rittenhouse, who is accused of killing two men and wounding a third last month during protests in Kenosha, Wis.
Massie is a Republican who represents Kentucky’s 4th congressional district, which includes all of Northern Kentucky. He spoke Thursday morning on a Huntington, W.Va. radio show hosted by Tom Roten.
During the interview, Massie praised Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois, for exhibiting “incredible restraint” in not emptying the magazine of his semi-automatic rifle into a crowd of protesters during the Kenosha protests Aug. 27.
“He also exhibited incredible restraint and presence and situational awareness,” Massie said. “He didn’t empty a magazine into a crowd. There were people around him who could have caused him harm, but as soon as they showed any sign of retreat or nonaggression, he did not shoot them. He exhibited more restraint than a lot of the police videos I’ve seen.”
“He was fulfilling his obligation to retreat, and then he fell down, and these, one tried to attack him with a skateboard, another pulled a handgun on him, another tried to jump on him with his foot, and he responded in self-defense,” Massie said.
“I would not convict him of a single one of these charges.”
“I hate it for this young man, because it seemed like he was there to help and render aid and provide protection and was cleaning up graffiti and so forth, was giving police bottled water, and seemed like a good young man, and his life is going to be turned upside down.”
https://www.wbko.com/2020/09/04/kentucky-congressman-praises-teen-charged-in-kenosha-shootings-he-didnt-empty-a-magazine/
Massie is a Republican who represents Kentucky’s 4th congressional district, which includes all of Northern Kentucky. He spoke Thursday morning on a Huntington, W.Va. radio show hosted by Tom Roten.
During the interview, Massie praised Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois, for exhibiting “incredible restraint” in not emptying the magazine of his semi-automatic rifle into a crowd of protesters during the Kenosha protests Aug. 27.
“He also exhibited incredible restraint and presence and situational awareness,” Massie said. “He didn’t empty a magazine into a crowd. There were people around him who could have caused him harm, but as soon as they showed any sign of retreat or nonaggression, he did not shoot them. He exhibited more restraint than a lot of the police videos I’ve seen.”
“He was fulfilling his obligation to retreat, and then he fell down, and these, one tried to attack him with a skateboard, another pulled a handgun on him, another tried to jump on him with his foot, and he responded in self-defense,” Massie said.
“I would not convict him of a single one of these charges.”
“I hate it for this young man, because it seemed like he was there to help and render aid and provide protection and was cleaning up graffiti and so forth, was giving police bottled water, and seemed like a good young man, and his life is going to be turned upside down.”
https://www.wbko.com/2020/09/04/kentucky-congressman-praises-teen-charged-in-kenosha-shootings-he-didnt-empty-a-magazine/
