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Teen charged in fatal shootings during Wisconsin riots ordered to stand trial

Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, faces two felony charges of homicide.

Published: December 4, 2020 9:54am

Updated: December 4, 2020 12:04pm

The 17-year-old charged in connection with the fatal shooting of two men during riots in Wisconsin this summer connected to social justice protests was ordered Thursday to stand trial on the charges.

The defendant, Kyle Rittenhouse, was ordered to stand trial during a virtual preliminary hearing in which his attorney's request to have some of the charges against Rittenhouse dismissed were denied.

The incident occurred in August in Kenosha, Wisc., following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. 

Rittenhouse's attorney, Mark Richards, said prosecutors have presented "a one-sided, stilted view" of events that night, according to CNN.

Richards showed screenshots of surveillance video that he said showed Rittenhouse acted in self-defense while being chased by an armed protester. Another image appeared to show Rittenhouse being struck with a skateboard while on the ground.

The decision to have Rittenhouse stand trial was made by Kenosha County Commissioner Loren Keating, after hearing the testimony of a detective on the case. Keating said the state had presented enough probable cause of felonies for the case to proceed to trial, according to CNN. 

Rittenhouse will be arraigned Jan. 5 in Kenosha County Circuit Court. He faces two felony charges of homicide in connection with the fatal shootings. Rittenhouse also is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon while under the age of 18, a misdemeanor.

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