Alleged Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse won’t face charges in home state of Illinois

Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager accused of shooting two protesters in Kenosha, Wis., this summer, will not face any charges in his home state of Illinois, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.

Prosecutors said an investigation found that the AR-15-style rifle used in the Kenosha shooting was purchased, stored and used in Wisconsin, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

There was no evidence that the gun was ever in Rittenhouse’s physical possession in Illinois, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said.

Rittenhouse, 17, is being held in a juvenile detention center in Lake County, Ill., without bond. He is due back in court on Oct. 30 for an extradition hearing, where he is challenging his extradition from Illinois to Wisconsin.

“I want to thank the Antioch Police Department for their diligence in investigating this matter,” Lake County State Attorney Mark Nerheim said.

Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of two protesters during demonstrations in Kenosha over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot during an arrest in the city.

Rittenhouse is also charged with intentional homicide in the wounding of a third protester. He faces a misdemeanor charge of underage firearm possession for wielding a semi-automatic rifle.

The alleged gunman has attracted support from several high-profile groups and commentators on the right who have said he acted in self-defense.

Updated: Oct. 14 at 10:08 a.m.