‘I Was Just 15 Feet Away From a Murder’
An interview with the journalist who filmed Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shooting two protesters
It was the third night of protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, and 23-year-old Brendan Gutenschwager had stuck around to film what protesters were doing after curfew, even as many more seasoned mainstream journalists headed home. That’s when he crossed paths with Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois associated with a militia group, who was being chased down the streets by protesters after allegedly shooting someone. Then, as Gutenschwager filmed from the sidewalk, Rittenhouse opened fire again. By the time it was all over, two men were dead and one was seriously injured after allegedly being shot by Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse now faces multiple charges, including first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Anthony Huber and first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum.
Gutenschwager’s videos have allowed many to reconstruct what happened on that chaotic, deadly night. His reporting has been part of a larger personal project, one that he has undertaken despite not having any formal media training and which has made him a viral media sensation. The Detroit area-based independent journalist first began video reporting on social…
