Witnesses alleged that the deceased Joseph Rosenbaum in the Kyle Rittenhouse case intentionally reached for the defendant’s weapon during day three of the Rittenhouse trial Thursday.
Rittenhouse’s trial began Tuesday in connection to the alleged shootings of Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz during a riot on the morning of Aug. 26, 2020. The shootings killed 36-year-old Rosenbaum and 26-year-old Huber. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Footage showed Rosenbaum chasing then 17-year-old Rittenhouse into a parking lot followed by him appearing to throw a plastic bag at him. Rittenhouse allegedly shot Rosenbaum after he attempted to grab a gun belonging to the defendant.
Daily Caller Video Director Richard McGinniss testified in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, where he gave his personal account of the lead-up and moment of the alleged shooting of Rosenbaum. He told the prosecution that Rosenbaum yelled “F*ck you” then “threw his momentum” towards Rittenhouse’s AR-15-style rifle moments before the shooting.
McGinniss told the defense team that Rosenbaum was intentionally reaching for the barrel of the weapon, describing that he ran towards them in a low position and his hands were reaching downward towards the gun. (RELATED: Judge In Kyle Rittenhouse Trial Boots Juror Over Joke About Jacob Blake)
“He [Rosenbaum] was lunging, falling. I would use those as synonymous terms in this situation because basically he threw his momentum towards the weapon and when the weapon wasn’t there, his momentum was continuing and that’s the point in which he fired,” McGinniss told the prosecution.
Prosecutors played footage of McGinniss taking his shirt off next to Rittenhouse moments after the shooting to attempt to “apply pressure” to Rosenbaum’s bleeding. He demanded that Rittenhouse call 911 but did not realize the defendant was standing next to him.
Another witness named Ryan Balch said Rosenbaum stood near him and threatened to kill him and the other people present on the night of the shooting.
“I turned and had an exchange with one of the protesters and I kind of explained to that protester ‘hey, you know, I get what you’re trying to do but not this.’ And when I turned around Rosenbaum was right there in front of my face yelling and screaming,” Balch said. “He said ‘you know, if I catch any of you guys alone tonight I’m going to f*cking kill you.'”
Rittenhouse faces six charges, which include First Degree Reckless Homicide, Use Of A Dangerous Weapon, First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, First Degree Intentional Homicide and Possession Of A Dangerous Weapon By A Person Under 18.
Judge Bruce Schroeder denied Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger’s request to prevent Rittenhouse’s defense team from referring to Rosenbaum, Huber and Grosskreutz as arsonists and rioters and ruled that prosecutors cannot refer to them as “victims” in an Oct. 26 ruling.