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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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Kyle Rittenhouse's sister Faith is seeking $3,000 on a crowdfunding website in a bid to prevent the eviction of herself and her mother Wendy from their home, citing her "brother's unwillingness to provide or contribute to our family."
On August 25, 2020, Rittenhouse shot three men, two of them fatally, during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which followed a Black Lives Matter demonstration in the city. Rittenhouse, then aged 17, claimed he was in the city to help protect local businesses from looters and vandals.
In November 2021, a jury in Kenosha found Rittenhouse not guilty of two counts of homicide, one of attempted homicide and two of reckless endangerment after his legal team insisted he only opened fire in self-defense. Rittenhouse has since developed into a regular commentator on conservative and social media and is Outreach Director at Texas Gun Rights, a group formed to "defend the Second Amendment without compromise."
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Faith's fundraiser was posted on Go Fund Me on May 30, and it's accompanied by a photograph of her being treated at a medical facility.
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In the accompanying message, Faith claimed she and her mother had struggled to maintain employment following the Kenosha shooting, saying they were now being threatened with eviction.
She wrote: "Just under 4 years ago, our lives were shattered when my brother was involved in a tragic shooting incident. The aftermath of this event uprooted our family's stability and left us grappling with grief, trauma, and the harsh reality of starting over. We know that we are not the only family struggling to rebuild after that fateful night.
"In the wake of this tragedy, my family, among many other families, has faced countless challenges. We've had difficulty obtaining and maintaining employment due to the fact many people still believe my mother drove Kyle or was somehow involved in his decision to go to Kenosha. We've struggled emotionally, mentally, and financially to piece our lives back together."
Faith went on to say she and her mother had been "left to navigate this journey on our own" due to "my brother's unwillingness to provide support or contribute to our family."
Faith later said she had been unable to work for four months as a result of "frequent hospitalizations due to medical issues," adding: "We've fallen behind on rent, and now we're facing eviction with only 8 days left in our apartment. The thought of losing our home, our sanctuary in the midst of chaos, is overwhelming and terrifying."
She added that money raised would be spent "covering rent, [paying for] utilities, or even helping us find temporary housing."
As of 3 a.m. ET on Friday the fundraiser had received $1,920 of the requested $3,000 from 37 separate donations. It's unclear whether the money raised, or any other income sources, will prevent Wendy and Faith from being evicted.
Newsweek contacted Faith Rittenhouse for comment via the Go Fund Me messaging service outside of regular business hours on Friday.
Kyle Rittenhouse declined to comment when contacted by Newsweek.
Chris McNutt, president of campaign group Texas Gun Rights, of which Rittenhouse is outreach director, said: "In what world do we expect a 21-year-old, burdened with hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and no support, to somehow provide for his entire family?"
Over the past couple of months Rittenhouse has been sharply criticized for calling President Joe Biden "gay" in a post on X, and for telling a group of Native Americans who shared a photo of themselves raising their middle fingers at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial to "leave" the country.
Update 6/26/24, 4:00 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to note Kyle Rittenhouse declined to comment and to include remarks from Texas Gun Rights president Chris McNutt.
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