During Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial on Tuesday, one of the men whom he shot that night, allegedly in self-defense, testified that he approached Rittenhouse with his Glock handgun in his hand.
The prosecutor showed video recordings from Aug. 25, 2020, the night in question. Gaige Grosskreutz testified that he had his weapon drawn when he approached Rittenhouse, after which Rittenhouse shot him in the shoulder.
“Did there come a time when you were running that you did pull your gun out?” The prosecutor asked. Grosskreutz said that he believed Rittenhouse was “an active shooter.”
“Again, in the moment, I thought that the defendant was an active shooter. Having been not too far behind like you mentioned just about to come into the frame here,” Grosskreutz said, referring to the video. “I had heard several more gunshots and again making inferences the defendant was the only one with a large caliber rifle. I’d seen an individual jump over the defendant, the defendant, heard two shots and then from there, saw another individual needs a skateboard to hit the defendant or hold the defendant—either way the individual hadn’t made contact with the defendant with a skateboard and then from there I heard another shot…”
“I want to back up for a second, Mr. Grosskreutz,” the prosecutor said, “because we have other video that shows you pulling your gun out before those shots are fired. So do you remember, specifically, were you intending, when you pulled your gun out, were you intending to use it?”
“If I had to,” Grosskreutz said. “I didn’t draw my firearm with express intent of using it. But also being ready if I had to use it.” Grosskreutz also testified that he is a pacifist.
Grosskreutz also testified that while he was armed with a handgun during the Kenosha, Wisconsin, riots, he was only in possession of an expired permit for it.
During the cross-examination, the defense pointed out that Grosskreutz had lied to police on multiple occasions, telling police officers that he had dropped his gun. Grosskreutz admitted that this was untrue.
The defense also asked Grosskreutz if he saw Rittenhouse behaving in a threatening manner, raising his voice, pointing his gun at people, and Grosskreutz said that he did not.
