Rittenhouse, Yang, and Vang
Not guilty.
That was the unanimous decision of a 12 person jury in the case of Kyle Rittenhouse. Kyle’s story grabbed the national spotlight when he shot and killed two men and injured another during the riots in Kenosha, WI, in 2020. This incident also followed a turbulent summer that saw a record number of riots and American cities on fire. While the verdict was met with celebration by some, others were quick to say that the “system” continues to favorite white people, and the judgment is further evidence of white supremacy.
In the Hmong community, the outcome of Kyle’s case stirred up an anger that had cooled, opened former pains, and reaffirmed the belief that the system had failed. Many in the community recalled a fateful day in November of 2004 when Chai Vang, who was out hunting, ended up shooting and killing six other individuals. He is serving a life sentence. Others pointed to a 15-year-old Dylan Yang, who in 2015 stabbed and killed another youth in an altercation at his house. Dylan, who faced a possible maximum sentence of 60 years, is serving 13 years behind bars and 17 years of extended probation upon his release. Like Kyle, these incidents occurred in Wisconsin. And like Kyle, both Chai and Dylan claimed self-defense, yet the outcome of each trial was different. How can the result of these cases be so different if all claimed self-defense?
The first thing needed is context. You don’t have to like Kyle Rittenhouse. You can even believe that he shouldn’t have been in Kenosha that night. You may even feel disappointed that some Hmong people choose to defend Kyle or agree with the outcome, but there are facts that simply can’t be ignored. Each event is unique and the sequence of events that unfolded had different variables. And while not a popular opinion, it will also require us to not fixate on the belief that race has everything to do with it. Failure to do so blinds us to the evidence at hand and the continuation of incorrect positions. One such example is a post is from Hmong Men Talk (HMT).
On the same day of the verdict, HMT put out a post comparing Dylan Yang and Kyle. The underlying assumption being that if Dylan was White, he too would have been freed. This post, last I checked, has garnered 260 comments and at least 1000 shares. But the claims in their post claims — that Kyle packed up his firearm, crossed state lines, and confronted an opposing group — are simply not correct. And to be fair to HMT, they aren’t the only ones who continue promulgated this falsehood. My state representative, Jay Xiong, who is Hmong, shared a video by comedian Amber Ruffin stating the same debunked talking point. Others have shared a similar quote by another comedian, Trevor Noah.
The claim that Kyle drove into Wisconsin with a rifle is factually incorrect and has been so for over a year. On October 13, 2020, the Antioch Police Department released a statement regarding their investigation. The investigation found that the rifle used by Kyle was “purchased, stored and used in Wisconsin.” — Kyle did not cross state lines with a firearm.
The claim that Kyle came to Kenosha to confront an opposing group is also bunk. To put it frankly, framing Kyle the “confronter” is dishonest because it paints Kyle as a person who was recklessly looking for trouble and was an “active shooter.” Video footage of Kyle in interviews refutes this framing. In these interviews, Kyle states his purpose for being in Kenosha — rendering aid to those who needs it and protecting local businesses. At no point does Kyle express a desire to “kill protestors” or confront any group. Based on the testimony and video evidence, it is clear that Kyle was the one confronted and pursued by a mob which brings us to the events that changed Kyle’s life.
The first person shot on the night of August 25, 2020, was Joseph Rosenbaum. And to make it clear, Rosenbaum wasn’t some angelic protestor despite ADA Binger labeling Rosenbaum and the other assailants as heroes. Throughout the evening, Rosenbaum had gotten into people’s faces, instigated trouble, and threatened to “kill one of you mother-f*****s if I get you alone.” When Rosenbaum and Kyle cross each other’s paths, Richie McGinnis, a key witness, stated that Rosenbaum initially tried to engage Kyle, not the other way around. According to the criminal complaint, Richie noted that Kyle was trying to evade a group of people. McGinnis also testified in court that Rosenbaum engaged Kyle and “lunged” for Kyle’s weapon before shots were fired. In this video, Richie is the individual who takes off his shirt and renders aid to Rosenbaum.
The second man Kyle shot at was “Jump Kick Man.” As the nickname suggests, this individual was attempting to jump-kick Kyle in the head after Kyle had fallen on the street. According to Kyle’s testimony, he shot twice and missed “Jump Kick Man.” Quickly after “Jump Kick Man,” Anthony Huber ran up and assaulted Kyle with a skateboard, swinging twice at Kyle’s head. Huber was the third man Kyle shot at that night. According to video evidence, Huber not only struck Kyle with his skateboard but grabbed the barrel of Kyle’s rifle. In this attempt to disarm Kyle, Huber was shot once in the stomach. He died from this wound.
The final individual shot that night was Gaige Grosskreutz. In his hand, as seen in the picture above, is a loaded Glock 27. Kyle only shot him once Grosskreutz raised his pistol to shoot Kyle. Not only is this supported by video evidence but also by Grosskreutz’s own testimony.
Defense: “When you’re standing 3–5 feet from him with your arms up in the air, he never fired, right?”
Grosskreutz: “Correct”
Defense: “It wasn’t until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him with your gun, now your hands down, pointed at him, that he fired, right?”
Grosskreutz: “Correct.”
All these things considered, it appears that Kyle acted in self-defense and only opened fire when violence was being inflicted on him.
Is Chai Vang and Dylan Yang’s case the exact same as Kyle’s? No. Was race the primary reason for the verdict? No. Will HMT make a statement to correct their post? It doesn’t seem likely since they appear to have doubled down on their position with another post comparing Kyle with Chai Vang. But even if HMT doesn’t correct the statement, as citizens and Hmong Americans, we have an obligation to stay informed and question those who disagree and even those who agree with us. If we can move beyond the “race argument” and gather the evidence, we can see how a jury, who was presented with all the evidence, came to the correct verdict.
