Wendy Rittenhouse says her son feels remorse for the events that unfolded in Kenosha, Wisc., last summer.
Kyle Rittenhouse, who was charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering for killing two men and wounding a third with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle in the summer of 2020 during a tumultuous night of protests over the shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by a white Kenosha police officer, was acquitted of all charges Friday after testifying he acted in self-defense.
The deadly shootings became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S.
"He does have remorse talking to him now, he would never walk down there if this ever happens again. He will never," Wendy Rittenhouse told Fox News in an interview that aired Sunday.
The family acknowledges that not everyone believes justice was served.
"It's not about winning or losing, there was two people that passed away and families have to grieve," she said.
Once the verdict was read, and Kyle fell to the floor in response, "I was so relieved for him, and I started crying," Wendy told Fox. "My girls were crying; just seeing Kyle collapsing to the floor — it was overwhelming."
Wendy says that life for Kyle will be different from now on after the trial.
"It's going to take time," Wendy said. "He wants to go to school and play with his dog Milo, but it's going to be different for him because there is going to be people out there that want to hurt him. It is over, but there is another chapter in our lives."
Information from Associated Press was used in this report.
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