Kyle Rittenhouse
Kyle RittenhouseSean Krajacic/Pool via REUTERS

Kyle Rittenhouse has asked police in Kenosha, Wisconsin to return his rifle which he used in fatal shootings while defending himself from Black Lives Matter rioters in 2020.

Rittenhouse, 18, was acquitted last November on charges related to the fatal shooting of two Black Lives Matter rioters and the wounding of a third rioter who attacked him in Kenosha on August 25th, 2020.

In its ruling, the jury accepted Rittenhouse’s claim that he had opened fire on the rioters, some of whom were armed and who had threatened his life, in self-defense.

Now, Rittenhouse is requesting that the AR-15 rifle he used be returned to him.

On Wednesday, Mark Richards, Rittenhouse’s attorney, filed a request with the Kenosha County Circuit Court asking that items confiscated from Rittenhouse be returned to his possession, including the rifle Rittenhouse used, as well as the clothing he was wearing at the time of his arrest.

According to a statement by spokesman David Hancock on Thursday, Rittenhouse wants to destroy the rifle used in the shootings and dispose of the clothing to prevent their being used to “celebrate” the fatal shootings.

“At the end of the day, two people did lose their lives, period,” Hancock said. “That weapon was involved in that. That weapon doesn’t belong on a mantle. It doesn't belong in a museum. It belongs where Kyle wants it, and Kyle wants it destroyed.”

“There's plenty of people out there who would like to hold these items up, on both sides. That's nothing Kyle's interested in.”