GiveSendGo, a Christian crowdfunding website, usually used by Far-Right activists, has raised $523,000 for the Kenosha shooter, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse.
The money is to help Rittenhouse pay for legal fees.
The crowdfunding page for Rittenhouse was made only two days after Rittenhouse killed two Black Lives Matter protesters, and severely injured one more. This incident occurred over one month ago on August 25th.
The funding page was started by a Christian group called ‘Friends of the Rittenhouse Family’. Currently, this group is based in Atlanta, Georgia. The funding page goal was to raise $500,000. This goal was surpassed on Monday.
According to the page description, Rittenhouse “is being unfairly charged with murder 1, by a DA who seems determined to capitalize on the political angle of the situation.
The page states, “The situation was clearly self-defense, and Kyle and his family will undoubtedly need money to pay for the legal fees. Let’s give back to someone who bravely tried to defend his community.”
Rittenhouse was officially charged one day after the Kenosha shooting. He was handcuffed and taken to the police station from his home in Antioch, Illinois.
On August 25th, multiple BLM protesters were gathered to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake. Blake, a 29-year-old African-American, was shot seven times by a Kenosha police officer. He survived, but is currently paralyzed from the waist down.
Rittenhouse arrived on the scene with several armed militia members. The group claimed it was there to protect local businesses from getting looted while police oversaw the protests.
According to video footage of the protests, three protesters approach Rittenhouse. The first victim, 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum, was seen throwing a bag at the shooter. However, Rittenhouse immediately opened fire, shooting Rosenbaum dead.
The video further shows Rittenhouse fleeing the scene. He is chased by other protesters. 26-year-old Anthony Huber tried to disarm the teen, hitting him with a skateboard. However, Rittenhouse shot and murdered him with his rifle.
The third victim was Gaige Grosskreuts. Grosskreuts approached Rittenhouse, who shot him in the arm.
Lastly, the video shows the teen walking towards police vehicles with his hands in the air. Police vehicles ignore him, moving onto the protesters behind him.
He was arrested after he went back to his home in Illinois. Currently, he is charged with murder in the first degree. His lawyers are fighting extradition to Wisconsin where he would stand trial as an adult despite being 17 years old.