Donald Trump congratulated Kyle Rittenhouse after the teen was found not guilty of murdering two men during racial justice protests.
The former president said that it was a clear case of “self defence” by Rittenhouse, who shook and collapsed to the floor as the verdicts were announced.
"Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges," wrote Trump in an emailed statement to his supporters.
"It’s called being found NOT GUILTY - and by the way, if that’s not self defense, nothing is!"
Jurors found Rittenhouse, 18, not guilty on all charges: two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide for wounding a third man, and two counts of recklessly endangering safety in protests marred by arson, rioting and looting on August 25, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and fired a bullet that tore a chunk off the arm of Gaige Grosskreutz, 28.
Rittenhouse claimed self defence in a case that re-ignited fierce debate about gun rights and the boundaries of self defence in the United States.
President Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 election, last year tweeted a video that appeared to suggest Rittenhouse was a white supremacist but on Friday he accepted the jury's decision and urged Americans to react with calm.
"While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken," Biden said.
Amid a heavy law enforcement presence, several dozen protesters lined the steps outside the courthouse after the verdict was read, some carrying placards in support of Rittenhouse and others expressing disappointment.
By early evening, the crowd had thinned to a handful of people and there was no sign of disturbances in the city.
"We are all so very happy that Kyle can live his life as a free and innocent man, but in this whole situation there are no winners, there are two people who lost their lives and that's not lost on us at all," David Hancock, a spokesperson for the Rittenhouse family, told Reuters.
