Video emerges of Kyle Rittenhouse before the deadly shooting in Kenosha saying he was carrying a gun because 'I need to protect myself, obviously'

• Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Antioch, Illinois, has been charged with first-degree homicide in the shooting of three people — two fatally — in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.
• Gunfire rang out during protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who is now paralyzed.
• Earlier Tuesday, Rittenhouse said in a video filmed by Richie McGinniss of the Daily Caller that he was there to "protect this business" and "help people."
• Rittenhouse added that he was armed with an AR-15-style rifle because "I need to protect myself, obviously." He also showed McGinniss his "med kit."

Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of gunning down people protesting police violence on Tuesday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, had said in a video that he was there to "help people."

"People are getting injured, and our job is to protect this business, and part of my job is to also help people," he said in the video, filmed by Richie McGinniss, the Daily Caller's chief video director. It was shared on Twitter on Wednesday and had been viewed over 1.4 million times as of Friday morning.

"If there's somebody hurt, I'm running into harm's way," Rittenhouse added, standing in front of a boarded-up business that McGinniss said was torched the previous night.

Rittenhouse told McGinniss that he was armed — a weapon later identified as a Smith & Wesson AR-15-style .223 rifle can be seen strapped across his chest — because "I need to protect myself, obviously." He also showed McGinniss his "med kit."

People in Kenosha were protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday. A police officer shot Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in the back seven times; his family and lawyers have said he's paralyzed. Demonstrations turned violent, with arson, looting, and clashes with the police and self-designated "protectors" of local businesses.

A criminal complaint filed Thursday said that after Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum, he ran and could be heard saying into a phone that he had "just killed somebody."

A video showed a crowd of people chasing Rittenhouse and appearing to try to grab his gun, then Rittenhouse tripping, falling, getting up, and firing more. The complaint said one bullet hit Anthony Huber in the chest, killing him, while another person, identified as Gaige Grosskreutz, was shot in the arm but survived.

The complaint accused Rittenhouse of demonstrating "utter disregard for human life," adding that he "did recklessly cause the death" of Rosenbaum, had an "intent to kill" Huber, and "attempted to cause the death" of Grosskreutz.

Rittenhouse has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. A conviction on the first charge could put him behind bars for life, the complaint said.

The teenager also faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing a deadly weapon while under the age of 18.

The Village of Antioch Police Department said on Facebook on Wednesday that he was being held in the Lake County Judicial System in Illinois, awaiting an extradition hearing.

• Read more:
• One of the protesters killed in Kenosha tried to stop the shooter with his skateboard before being shot, girlfriend says
• Suspected Kenosha gunman Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot a protester after they threw a plastic bag at him, criminal complaint says
• Kenosha police chief says 3 people wouldn't have been shot during protests if they weren't illegally out past curfew
• Kyle Rittenhouse — the teen charged with first-degree homicide over the shooting of 3 people at Kenosha protests — was obsessed with Blue Lives Matter and appeared 'on edge' before shots rang out
• A timeline of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, which has reignited anti-racism protests nationwide