A Wisconsin jury has acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse on all charges in the killing of two men and the wounding of another during political unrest in Kenosha last summer -- a politically charged trial that captivated the nation and some fear empowers vigilantism.
The 18-year-old fell over after hearing the verdict. The jury deliberated roughly 26 hours.
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Kyle Rittenhouse is comforted by his lawyer as he was acquitted of all charges at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021.
Rittenhouse claimed he shot three men, two fatally, in self-defense during a 2020 protest. Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, were shot and killed, while 27-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz was wounded.
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Huber's parents, Karen Bloom and John Huber, said they're "heartbroken and angry" by the acquittal.
"Today’s verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son," they said in a statement. "It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street."
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Kariann Swart, Joseph Rosembaum's fiancee, Susan Hughes, Anthony Huber's great-aunt, and Hannah Gittings, Anthony Huber's girlfriend, listen to the verdict at the conclusion of Kyle Rittenhouse's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., Nov. 19, 2021.
"No reasonable person viewing all of the evidence could conclude that Mr. Rittenhouse acted in self-defense," they said. "Mr. Rittenhouse came to Kenosha armed to kill. Kenosha police encouraged him to act violently, and our son is dead as a result."
Huber's parents vowed to "fight to hold those responsible for Anthony’s death accountable continues in full force. Neither Mr. Rittenhouse nor the Kenosha police who authorized his bloody rampage will escape justice."
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
People, including Jacob Blake's aunt Tanya Blake, right, react to the verdict in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., Nov. 19, 2021.
Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide. A charge of violating a curfew that was imposed during the protests in Kenosha was dropped during the trial.
During his testimony, Rittenhouse said he shot all three men with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle in self-defense.
"I didn't intend to kill them. I intended to stop the people who were attacking me," Rittenhouse repeatedly said, at one point breaking down and sobbing on the witness stand.
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Kyle Rittenhouse becomes emotional while on the witness stand during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., Nov. 10, 2021.
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After the verdict, Wisconsin Gov. Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement, “No verdict will be able to bring back the lives of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum, or heal Gaige Grosskreutz’s injuries, just as no verdict can heal the wounds or trauma experienced by Jacob Blake and his family. No ruling today changes our reality in Wisconsin that we have work to do toward equity, accountability, and justice that communities across our state are demanding and deserve."
The chaos in Kenosha unfolded on Aug. 25, 2020, after protests erupted over a police officer shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. The protests turned violent, prompting an online call for armed "patriots" to come to the city to "protect our lives and property."
Rittenhouse, who was then 17, answered the call to help, his attorney, Mark Richards, said. Rittenhouse, who said he was a nursing student and a former firefighter EMT cadet, claimed during his testimony that his primary purpose for going to Kenosha on the night of the shootings was to provide first aid to people in need.
The prosecutors' case hinged heavily on multiple videos showing Rittenhouse shooting the unarmed Rosenbaum as well as Huber, who allegedly struck him with a skateboard twice. Video also captured Rittenhouse shooting Grosskreutz, a trained paramedic, in the bicep after Grosskreutz approached him with a loaded pistol.
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Kyle Rittenhouse reacts as he was acquitted of all charges at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021.
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Kyle Rittenhouse and his lawyer react as he was acquitted of all charges at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Nov. 19, 2021.
Lead prosecutor Thomas Binger said in a statement, "While we are disappointed with the verdict, it must be respected."
"We are grateful to the members of the jury for their diligent and thoughtful deliberations. The Kenosha community has endured much over the past 15 months, and yet we remain resilient and strong," Binger said.
Binger, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley and Evers all urged the public to remain peaceful.
Evers added, "We must move forward, together, more united and more motivated to build the sort of future we want for our state—one that is just, one that is equitable, and one where every person has the resources and opportunity to thrive."
MORE: Kyle Rittenhouse homicide trial: Key takeaways from Day 5
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said in a statement: "We have seen so many black and brown youth killed, only to be put on trial posthumously, while the innocence of Kyle Rittenhouse was virtually demanded by the judge."
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
People react to the verdict in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Nov. 19, 2021.
Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
People wait for the verdict in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Nov. 19, 2021.
He added, "We have to turn this into a moment to push even harder by staying engaged, by organizing for justice, by holding our leaders accountable, and by registering our friends and neighbors to vote."
The Congressional Black Caucus called the verdict "unconscionable."
"The ludicrous claim of self-defense is on par with the abhorrent behavior displayed by the prosecution and the judge," the caucus said in a statement. "It is time for accountability. It is time for criminal justice reform, and it is beyond time for gun reform."
Shaadie Ali, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, said in a statement, “white militia members were welcomed with open arms" at the Kenosha protests, "[while] protesters, many of whom were people of color, were not protected and treated as the enemy."
"We need a system of public safety that protects the lives of the entire community," Ali said. “Rittenhouse’s trial highlights an urgent need for reform for both police and the criminal legal system. The system is broken, and it desperately needs to be fixed.”
ABC News' Whitney Lloyd contributed to this report.