Thoughts on Kyle Rittenhouse

Like many other Americans, I've followed the Kyle Rittenhouse trial with interest.  If you think the verdict was unfair, please watch the video his defense team put together, especially the video of the actual shootings and put yourself in Kyle's shoes.  He was being chased and attacked and is lucky to be alive.  

Just like we teach in our Defensive Handgun courses, the verdict came down to the tenants of justified self-defense.  You can use deadly force to protect yourself if your attacker shows the intent and ability to kill you or do you grievous bodily injury.  Kyle was justified in shooting these three people.   In each instance, he didn't pick these fights, he finished them.

Some other observations:

• Kyle showed excellent gun handling skills.  The pictures and video show that he had great trigger finger disciple.
• Kyle showed great marksmanship.  Under duress, he shot his attackers and only his attackers.  No other bystanders were wounded.

Many people in the media tried to make this case about other ancillary things: Kyle's travel from out of state, the gun he used, etc..  He's also been portrayed as a white supremacist.  None of this changes the key facts - he was under attack and defended himself.