The family of a Black Lives Matter protester killed by Kyle Rittenhouse last summer filed a federal lawsuit this week alleging the police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, conspired with Mr. Rittenhouse and an armed militia.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, names the Kenosha County sheriff, the current and former chief of police, unnamed officers and the city and county of Kenosha as defendants.
It argues they effectively recruited Mr. Rittenhouse and other armed men to help patrol the streets during an anti-police violence protest, offering them water and not stopping them from encountering protesters.
“Defendants deputized Rittenhouse and other armed individuals, conspired with them, and ratified their actions by allowing them to patrol the streets armed illegally with deadly weapons and shoot and kill innocent citizens,” read the 38-page lawsuit.
The father of Anthony Huber, the named plaintiff, wants the court to give him damages in return for the alleged wrongful death of his son.
Huber was shot by Mr. Rittenhouse in a clash on a Kenosha street on Aug. 25, 2020.
The lawsuit claims Huber was protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police two days prior to the protest involving Mr. Rittenhouse. Mr. Blake did not die, but the shooting left him paralyzed.
The complaint said a militia of citizens from outside the city took up arms to counter the anti-police violence protesters on the street, including Mr. Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old who traveled from just across the border in Illinois.
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Rittenhouse shot and killed two men and injured a third.
“Anthony Huber is a hero. He attempted to disarm Rittenhouse, end the gunfire, stop the bloodshed, and protect his fellow citizens. Tragically, Anthony died when Rittenhouse shot him in the chest as Anthony tried to pull the assault rifle from Rittenhouse’s hands,” the lawsuit said.
Sam Hall, an attorney representing Kenosha County and Sheriff David Beth in the lawsuit, said the allegations were false.
“While we understand that the family of Anthony Huber is grieving his loss, we must make it clear that the allegations against Sheriff Beth and the Kenosha Sheriff’s Office are demonstrably false and that the facts will show that Mr. Huber’s death was not caused by any actions or inactions of Kenosha County law enforcement,” he said.
An attorney for Mr. Rittenhouse also did not immediately respond to the allegations in the complaint. Mr. Rittenhouse is not a named defendant.
He’s been charged with first-degree murder among other counts. He posted $2 million bail in November.
Mr. Rittenhouse has claimed he fired his weapon in self-defense.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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