It’s been years since the sirens died down in Kenosha, but the names of the men involved still spark instant, heated debate. You’ve likely heard the slogans. You’ve seen the memes. But behind the 24-hour news cycle and the polarized courtroom drama, there were three real people whose lives collided with a 17-year-old and an AR-15 on August 25, 2020.
Honestly, it's easy to lose the human element when a story becomes this political. People tend to view kyle rittenhouse shooting victims as either heroes or villains, depending on which news channel they watch. But the reality? It’s a lot messier than a 30-second soundbite.
Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and Gaige Grosskreutz weren't a monolith. They weren't some organized unit. They were individuals with complicated pasts, families, and very different reasons for being on the street that Tuesday night.
Joseph Rosenbaum: The First Encounter
Joseph Rosenbaum was 36. He was the first person Rittenhouse shot. To understand why he was there, you have to look at a pretty tragic 24 hours. Rosenbaum had just been discharged from a Milwaukee hospital that day following a suicide attempt. He was homeless, struggling deeply with bipolar disorder, and carrying his few belongings—including some papers and a toothbrush—in a clear plastic hospital bag.
He wasn't a "protester" in the traditional sense. He didn't have a sign. He wasn't with a group. Witnesses, including those called by the prosecution, described him as "hyper-aggressive" that night. He was seen "false-stepping" at people and, at one point, was caught on video shouting at armed men to "shoot me."
The confrontation at the Car Source
When Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse into the parking lot of a car dealership, things turned lethal in seconds. He threw that plastic hospital bag. Rittenhouse later testified he thought it was a weapon or a threat. As Rosenbaum lunged for the barrel of the rifle, Rittenhouse fired four times.
It was a chaotic, split-second mess. Rosenbaum died from those wounds. His fiancée later spoke about how he could make anyone laugh out of nowhere, emphasizing that despite his "demons" and a criminal record involving past convictions in Arizona, he was a human being who was clearly in a state of crisis that night.
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Anthony Huber: The Man With the Skateboard
If Rosenbaum was a man in crisis, Anthony Huber was someone many saw as trying to play the hero. He was 26. A Kenosha native. A guy who lived for his skateboard.
When the first shots rang out, the crowd didn't know the context. They just saw a teenager with a rifle running away after shooting someone. Huber was part of the group that gave chase. As Rittenhouse tripped and fell in the middle of Sheridan Road, Huber moved in.
He didn't have a gun. He had his skateboard.
Huber swung the board, hitting Rittenhouse in the neck/shoulder area, and reached for the rifle. He was trying to disarm him. Rittenhouse fired once. The bullet hit Huber in the chest, killing him almost instantly.
A community in mourning
Huber's girlfriend, Hannah Gittings, described him as having "nothing but love for his city." To his friends, he was an avid skater with a quick wit. To the legal system, he became a "victim" in the civil sense but an "attacker" in the context of the self-defense verdict. It’s that exact nuance that makes this case so polarizing. Huber thought he was stopping an active shooter. Rittenhouse thought he was defending his life from a mob. Both things can feel true depending on whose shoes you’re standing in.
Gaige Grosskreutz: The Lone Survivor
Gaige Grosskreutz is the only one who lived to tell his story in court. He was 26 at the time, a volunteer medic who had attended dozens of protests. He was wearing a "paramedic" hat and carrying a medical kit.
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He also had a Glock handgun.
During his testimony, which was arguably the most pivotal moment of the entire trial, Grosskreutz admitted that he was pointing his gun at Rittenhouse when he was shot. But he also clarified that he never intended to fire it. He said he thought Rittenhouse was an active shooter and was trying to stop him.
The injury was graphic.
The .223 round from the AR-15 basically vaporized a large portion of Grosskreutz's right bicep. You might remember the photos from the trial; they were enough to make the jury wince.
- Grosskreutz had an expired concealed carry permit.
- He later filed a massive civil lawsuit against Rittenhouse and the city.
- He testified that his "bicep was gone" after the shot.
Grosskreutz has since faced a wave of online harassment. It’s the reality of being the survivor in a case that half the country uses as a political litmus test.
Why the terminology matters
You might notice that during the trial, Judge Bruce Schroeder famously ruled that the three men could not be referred to as "victims" by the prosecution. He argued the word was "loaded" and pre-judged the case before the jury reached a verdict. Instead, they were called "complainants" or "decedents."
However, the defense was allowed to use words like "looters" or "arsonists" if they could provide evidence. This choice by the judge became a massive flashpoint in the media.
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The Civil War After the Criminal Trial
Even though a jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts in November 2021, the story didn't end. Far from it.
The families of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum, along with Gaige Grosskreutz, turned to the civil courts. These lawsuits aren't just about Rittenhouse; they target the Kenosha police and the sheriff’s department, alleging that law enforcement's actions—like giving water to armed civilians and "pushing" protesters toward them—created the violent environment that led to the deaths.
Honestly, these civil cases are where the "truth" gets hammered out in a different way. In a criminal trial, you need "beyond a reasonable doubt." In civil court, it’s about the "preponderance of evidence." Basically, is it more likely than not that someone was negligent?
Actionable Insights for Following the Case
If you’re trying to keep up with the ongoing legal fallout or just want to understand the facts better, here is how to navigate the noise:
- Differentiate between Criminal and Civil: Just because Rittenhouse was acquitted doesn't mean the civil cases are over. They focus on different standards of law.
- Read the Primary Testimony: Don't rely on Twitter clips. The full testimony of Gaige Grosskreutz and the drone footage of the Rosenbaum shooting are the most objective pieces of evidence available.
- Check the Lawsuit Status: The Huber family's wrongful death lawsuit has survived several motions to dismiss, meaning it's still moving through the federal court system as of 2024 and 2025.
- Acknowledge the Complexity: Most people want this to be a story about "good vs evil." It’s actually a story about a series of catastrophic failures by the city, law enforcement, and individuals who all made life-altering decisions in a matter of seconds.
The story of the kyle rittenhouse shooting victims is a tragedy of errors. Whether you see them as protesters, rioters, or concerned citizens, their lives ended or were forever changed on a humid night in Wisconsin. Understanding who they actually were—outside of the political firestorm—is the only way to truly understand what happened in Kenosha.