Rittenhouse made 'vigilante' remarks before shootings: prosecutors

Prosecutors say Rittenhouse made 'vigilante' remarks before shootings

Kenosha County prosecutors filed new motions, saying a video could be important evidence in the Kyle Rittenhouse homicide trial.

KENOSHA, Wis. - Prosecutors say recently found video shows Kyle Rittenhouse talking about firing his assault rifle weeks before the fatal shootings in Kenosha, and they are fighting to get that video entered as evidence.

Preparing for the November homicide trial, Kenosha County prosecutors filed new motions the week of Sunday, Aug. 15, saying the video found earlier in the month could be important evidence. However, the judge would first need to allow it.

In a 29-second video taken outside of a CVS, a person is heard off-camera talking about firing an assault rifle because he thinks people are shoplifting.

"Bro, I wish I had my (expletive) AR. I'd start shooting rounds at them," the person says.

Prosecutors say it is the voice of Rittenhouse, accused of shooting and killing two people and injuring a third during civil unrest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020.

Rittenhouse's attorneys say he was acting in self-defense. He was 17 years old at the time.

Kyle Rittenhouse

Prosecutors say the CVS video was taken 15 days before the shootings and can help prove intent. Arguing in a court filing:

"The defendant saw something, jumped to a conclusion based on exactly zero facts, and threatened to kill someone based on baseless assumption and wrongful interpretation."

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Prosecutors went on to write:

"The video also demonstrates that the defendant fervently sought to insert himself as an armed vigilante into situations that had nothing to do with him."

Kyle Rittenhouse pretrial hearing, May 21

The court documents do not say how prosecutors go the video, only that it was discovered earlier this month.

A hearing set to discuss this and other motions is scheduled for September. Prosecutors are also requesting a list of everyone who donated to the fund that helped pay for Rittenhouse's $2 million bond.

FOX6 News reached out to Rittenhouse's attorney by phone and email Thursday, Aug. 19 but did not hear back.

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