Kenosha shooting suspect is a former member of a youth police cadet program, Illinois police say

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(CNN) The suspect in the Kenosha, Wisconsin, fatal shooting is a former member of a youth police cadet program with an affinity for guns, according to police and online profiles.

Antioch, Illinois, police identified the suspect Wednesday as 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse.

In Grayslake, Illinois -- about 10 miles from Antioch and 30 miles from Kenosha -- Police Chief Phillip L. Perlini said the suspect in the shooting was a former Public Safety Cadet.

That program is described online as offering youth the opportunity to explore careers in law enforcement. Due to the person's age and state law, the chief said the department couldn't comment further.

The teenager was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, Antioch Police said in a news release. He turned himself in at the Antioch police headquarters, police said.

Rittenhouse remains in custody of the Lake County Judicial System awaiting extradition to Wisconsin, the release said.

He has been charged in a single shooting incident during a night of unrest Tuesday in which two people were killed and a third was seriously injured, Kenosha police said. The shooting came amid protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a 29-year-old Black man.

The victims in the shooting incident Tuesday night were identified as a 26-year-old from Silver Lake, Wisconsin, and a 36-year-old from Kenosha.

Videos that circulated on social media show a person with a long gun running down a street, followed by a crowd. The individual falls to the ground and appears to begin firing. Several shots are heard.

Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Protesters raise their fists during a demonstration in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, August 26. Hide Caption 1 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A crowd marches in Kenosha on August 26. Hide Caption 2 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A protester places a bottle at the scene where a person was fatally shot during demonstrations the night before. Hide Caption 3 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin People embrace at the site where a person was killed during protests. Hide Caption 4 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A protester walks by a boarded-up store in Kenosha on August 26. Hide Caption 5 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Protesters march past a burned-out building that was damaged during protests. Hide Caption 6 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Kenosha Police Chief Dan Miskinis speaks at an August 26 news conference. Two people were fatally shot during protests the night before, and Miskinis said the shooting may not have happened if demonstrators and the accused gunman had obeyed the city's newly imposed 8 p.m. curfew. Hide Caption 7 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A man with a gun takes aim at another person during protests on Tuesday, August 25. Hide Caption 8 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin An explosive device detonates as a protester pushes back on an armored vehicle that was attempting to clear demonstrators away from the Kenosha County Courthouse. Hide Caption 9 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A protester obstructs an armored vehicle outside the Kenosha County Courthouse. Hide Caption 10 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Authorities disperse protesters from a Kenosha park on August 25. Hide Caption 11 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A protester takes cover during clashes outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on August 25 Hide Caption 12 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A protester tosses an object toward police during clashes outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on August 25. Hide Caption 13 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Letetra Wideman and Zanetia Blake, sisters of Jacob Blake, embrace during a news conference outside the Kenosha County Courthouse. Hide Caption 14 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin People gather to protest on August 25. Hide Caption 15 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Jacob Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr., speaks during a news conference on August 25. He described his son's shooting as a "senseless attempted murder." Hide Caption 16 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Police attempt to push back protesters outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday, August 24. Hide Caption 17 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A protester lights a cigarette on a garbage truck that was set on fire during protests. Hide Caption 18 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Burning structures are reflected in a building's broken glass as a protester walks past on August 24. Hide Caption 19 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin An American flag flies over a Department of Corrections building that was on fire during protests. Hide Caption 20 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A demonstrator uses a tennis racket to return a tear-gas canister toward police lines. Hide Caption 21 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin People gather in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse to protest on August 24. Hide Caption 22 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Police are pictured in riot gear outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on August 24. Hide Caption 23 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Demonstrators protest from cars on August 24. Hide Caption 24 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Police try to secure the Public Safety Building on August 24. Hide Caption 25 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Protesters confront police officers during a march in downtown Kenosha. Hide Caption 26 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Vehicles that were burned during protests are seen in Kenosha on August 24. Hide Caption 27 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Joe Loewen and Dan Noonan put boards over a broken window at the Harborside Academy. The windows were broken during protests on Sunday, August 23 Hide Caption 28 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A man rides a bike past a city truck that was set on fire on August 23. Hide Caption 29 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A man jumps over a tear-gas canister as he is fired upon with rubber bullets on August 23. Hide Caption 30 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Demonstrators stand in front of a line of police at the Public Safety Building. Hide Caption 31 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin People pound on the door of the Kenosha Police Department. Hide Caption 32 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin Protesters break windows at the Kenosha County Administration Building. Hide Caption 33 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin A man confronts police outside the Kenosha Police Department on August 23. Hide Caption 34 of 35 Photos: Police shooting leads to protests in Wisconsin In this screengrab taken from video, police follow Jacob Blake as he walks to the driver's side door of an SUV on August 23. He was shot a few moments later. Hide Caption 35 of 35

Social media accounts believed to belong to the suspect portray a young White man with an affinity for guns who supports "Blue Lives Matter" and President Donald Trump.

A video posted on a Snapchat account believed to belong to the suspect placed him at the scene of protests Tuesday night. The clips show a few seconds of the point of view of someone carrying a long rifle and police announcements can be heard over loudspeakers.

In videos posted to a TikTok account, individuals can be seen taking part in target practice and assembling a long rifle.

Rittenhouse also posted a short video from a Trump rally earlier this year in Des Moines, Iowa, on one of his TikTok accounts. President Trump is not shown in the video.

Departing Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway responded to reports of Rittenhouse's attendance at a Trump rally, saying that the White House is "not responsible for the private conduct of people who go to rallies."

Sheriff says he was asked to deputize citizens

In a news conference following the shooting, Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said he had received requests from community members to deputize citizens to aid police in responding to the protests.

"What happened last night [...] was probably the perfect reason why I wouldn't," Beth said. "Once I deputize somebody they fall under the Constitution of the state of Wisconsin."

The sheriff said deputizing citizens would be a liability to him, the county and the state.

"A group wanted me to deputize people that were carrying guns, this person was carrying a gun," Beth said, referring to the suspect arrested for the shooting.

"He could have been part of it."

In a statement, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul condemned the violence.

"While the two people who were killed and the person who was injured by gunfire have not yet been identified, we are thinking of their destroyed futures and their friends and families that must live with this overwhelming grief," the statement said.

He said the community deserved a chance to heal and called for "heavily armed vigilantes, arsonists, and other opportunists" who came to Kenosha to "spur chaos" to leave.

"If those engaging in violence and destruction of property believe they are furthering some broader goal, they are wrong," Kaul said.

On Rittenhouse's Facebook profile and TikTok bio there are references to "Blue Lives Matter."

In a post on December 22, 2018, he said that for his birthday he was asking for donations for a non-profit called, "Humanizing the Badge," along with a post that said the group sought to "forge stronger relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve."

bigsticksoftspeaker on August 27th, 2020 at 14:21 UTC »

Just a 17 yo with a rifle, who bought him the rifle?

Whornz4 on August 27th, 2020 at 13:39 UTC »

If he had waited a few more years and became a police officer he may have gotten away with it.

politicalthrowaway56 on August 27th, 2020 at 12:38 UTC »

What's the point of a youth police cadet program?

Edit: I should've said /r. That's for rhetorical, right?