Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot and killed two people during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, will not face weapons charges in his home state of Illinois, NBC News reports.
The Lake County (IL) State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Tuesday that the weapon used in the shooting by the 17-year-old was purchased, carried and discharged out of state. Rittenhouse reportedly obtained the gun in Wisconsin.
Rittenhouse faces two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and a count of attempted intentional homicide, as well as a misdemeanor charge of underage firearm possession for wielding a semi-automatic rifle.
Rittenhouse is being held in a Lake County juvenile detention facility while he awaits extradition to Wisconsin to face trial. He was arrested at his home in Antioch, Illinois after police in Kenosha neglected to detain him even though eye witnesses to the shooting pointed him out to police.
The gun used in the shooting was not found at Rittenhouse’s home when he was arrested, and law enforcement believes the gun never left Wisconsin. Rittenhouse’s attorneys say a friend of Rittenhouse from Wisconsin gave the teen the gun before setting out to the protests. It is unclear why the friend has not been detained for providing a minor with a semi-automatic rifle.