Witnesses in Rittenhouse trial describe chaotic shooting scene filled with gunfire
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As Kenosha Police Officer Jason Krueger took the stand, he described a chaotic scene in the aftermath of the shootings.
"Our number one focus is to stop the killing or to make the scene secure, eliminate any active threats," Krueger explained.
The officer told the jury he was patrolling the area when he heard shots nearby. He said Rittenhouse then came up to his squad car with his hands up, but the officer told him to back away. When he didn't, Krueger used pepper spray in his direction.
"Why did you see him as a threat?" the prosecution asked Krueger.
"I never met him before. He had a rifle," Krueger responded.
The jury also heard from a state crime lab expert who analyzed Rittenhouse's weapon.
"I recognize that as the firearm that I analyzed for this specific case," said Heather Williams, a firearms and toolmark examiner for the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.
Another state witness was Kristan Harris, a man who describes himself as a citizen journalist. The night of the shootings, Harris was livestreaming for the website The Rundown Live.
He testified that Rittenhouse was not being aggressive and actually he was trying to make peace.
"He wasn't verbally threatening anyone?" the defense asked Harris.
"No, he was offering help," Harris responded.
"He wasn't using his firearm in a way to scare or intimidate people by pointing it at them. Agreed?" the defense asked Harris.
"Agreed," Harris responded.