Kyle Rittenhouse 'Training' Photo Raises Questions

A photograph of Kyle Rittenhouse "training" has raised eyebrows online, with social media users wondering what the 21-year-old is preparing for.

Rittenhouse shared a photo of himself to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. The snap shows the Illinois native in a chair wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a rifle.

"I was exhausted after training all day!" Rittenhouse wrote alongside the snap. "More training this week!"

Rittenhouse first made national headlines in August 2020 after shooting two people dead and injuring another during the unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The then-17-year-old said he acted in self-defense and was acquitted of all charges in November 2021.

Since being shared on Wednesday, Rittenhouse's "training" photo has received over 300,000 views. Rittenhouse didn't elaborate on what he is training for, leading X users to speculate.

"Shooting unarmed protesters?" suggested John Oberlin.

"Community theatre?" said Brian Town.

"Capture the Flag," wrote Ron R.

"Nursing school is wild these days," joked cousin mose.

"I think he's been training in the art of cleaning and ironing - his clothes are immaculate," commented Barbara Graham.

An hour later, Rittenhouse shared a video of himself hitting melons at a shooting range, clarifying the meaning of "training."

The footage divided X users, with fans of Rittenhouse applauding his aim.

"Nice shooting," said Susanne Smith.

"You're such a good shot Kyle!" wrote @USA90sGal07.

"Wish we could shoot together!" said @Red_Knight_USA. "You're a hero! My brother-in-arms."

However, other users criticized the video, with @Brixxley calling Rittenhouse a "Murderer."

"Who will you be killing next?" asked Ed Scott.

"Only a punk who got away with murder would post ammophile porn," claimed @BluePowderMonk.

Newsweek has reached out to Kyle Rittenhouse for comment via Instagram.

The Kenosha riots and protests were sparked by the police shooting of Kenosha resident Jacob Blake. The 29-year-old Black man was shot seven times by Officer Rusten Sheskey in August 2020, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Rittenhouse traveled from his hometown of Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha, taking along an AR-15-style rifle. During the unrest, Rittenhouse was filmed standing in front of a boarded-up building with the weapon and a first-aid kit, telling a journalist he was there to "protect this business."

Rittenhouse later shot and killed two men—Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26—along with injuring 26-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz. The teen pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree attempted intentional homicide and first-degree reckless endangerment.

He was found not guilty of all charges in November 2021.

His trial divided the nation, sparking debates about gun rights and racial justice. In February 2023, Anthony Huber's father began the process of suing Rittenhouse and the Kenosha police for the "wrongful death" of his son.

In August 2023, the estate of Joseph Rosenbaum also filed a wrongful death suit, seeking "compensatory damages."

Rittenhouse released a book, Acquitted, about his experience in November 2023.