A Kenosha, Wis., man, who said that he purchased a rifle for the teenager who killed two people at police brutality demonstrations there, is now facing charges.
Dominick Black, 19, is charged with two counts of intentionally supplying a dangerous weapon to a minor, causing death, the Kenosha News reports. He reportedly gave the rifle to Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old gunman who showed up during protests in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake and opened fire on two of the demonstrators, killing them. He also wounded a third person. After extradition from Antioch, Ill., Rittenhouse was formally charged last week with felony homicide last week in the shooting deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26. Bail for him was set at $2 million, according to CNN.
Black was taken into police custody on Nov. 6, but authorities have known about the gun he said that he gave to Rittenhouse since shortly after the Aug. 25 shooting. Black had spoken to police just two hours after Rittenhouse turned himself in and spoke to them again the next day. Not only did he tell them that he gave the teen the weapon, but that he knew he was under 18.
A criminal complaint against Black said that he “volunteered” to go out after an established curfew to guard a local business, armed with an AR-15 rifle and asked Rittenhouse to come with him. The two allegedly went to Black’s stepfather’s house to get another AR-15, which he gave to Rittenhouse. It was the rifle used in the shooting of Rosenbaum and Huber, the complaint states. The owner of the business, a Car Source, has said he never asked Black to guard anything, the Kenosha News said.
Black’s stepfather, who lives in Kenosha but was not identified, said to authorities, according to reports from the Antioch Police Department, that Black had actually purchased the weapon for Rittenhouse in Ladysmith, Wis., for Rittenhouse, using the teenager’s money, but purchasing it in his own name.
Kenosha County Assistant D.A. Tom Binger said that Black has been cooperative with authorities and has provided the weapons involved to police. His bond was set at $2,500 and he will return to court for a hearing scheduled Nov. 19.
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