Kyle Rittenhouse sobbed uncontrollably and struggled to get words out as he testified Wednesday about the moments leading up to shooting the first man he killed during the unrest last year in Kenosha, Washington.

Rittenhouse, 18, broke down on the stand after he started to explain that he was “cornered” outside one of the car businesses that he was defending from violent protesters before he fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum on Aug. 25, 2020.

“That’s when I run,” Rittenhouse said, before becoming too overcome with emotion to continue.

The emotionally charged testimony prompted the judge to call a break, as Rittenhouse’s mother also cried in the gallery.

Rittenhouse testified that Rosenbaum had threatened to kill him twice the night of the triple shooting.

“He screamed, ‘If I catch any of you alone, I’m going to f–king kill you,’” Rittenhouse told the jurors.

He claimed that Rosenbaum was walking with a steel chain and appeared to be “mad about something.”

“And I’m not going to repeat the second word, but ‘kill you N-words,’” Rittenhouse said.

Rittenhouse was called by his defense team to testify about the triple shooting that killed Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27.

Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder ran through a series of procedural questions before testimony got underway, asking, “Do you think what you’re doing is the best thing under all the circumstances?”

“Yes, your honor,” Rittenhouse replied.

Rittenhouse was 17 when he brought a semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit to Kenosha in what he claims was an effort to protect businesses as riots broke out on Aug. 25, 2020, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man who was left paralyzed from the waist down.

He faces six criminal charges, including intentional homicide for the fatal shootings.

 

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