Not sure why what he did was dumb - perhaps not what others would have done, but that doesn't mean it was dumb. Violent mobs were torching the businesses of his family friends. He was literally asked by a business owner he knew to help defend the premises from those who would destroy it, and a family's livelihood with it. He made the choice to risk life and limb to help those the state refuses to serve. He was then assaulted by a serial sex offender who was just released that day from a mental institution. Kyle didn't provoke him, go out asking to be attacked, etc. He was simply offering medical aid to anyone who needed it whilst knowingly risking his wellbeing to protect the livelihood of those he cared about. Maybe not the choice others woild have made. Maybe he got separated from those in his group due to inexperience or overconfidence. But I have seen nothing 'dumb'.

And yes, if my neighbourhood was being torched by violent mobs, I would certainly consider discussing with my sons of appropriate age (17 year olds can train in the army) whether they want to risk the safety to protect our community from threats, international or domestic.

Perhaps that is why I feel so strongly about this case. I have been stranded in a slum in Brazil as a 19 year old working with abused children. At 16 I was separated from my interpreter and grilled by border control while working my butt off serving orphans in Indonesia. When I look at my two little boys and think of them as young men risking their safety to help others, to then be slandered and dismissed by anyone who cares to have an opinion, my heart aches.

@Lady Georgia, I am not saying he was dumb for being there, I am not saying he was dumb for carrying. I am saying that it was dumb for him to have left the property of the business that asked for his assistance. He had good intentions, but if he had stayed on the property of that business owner I actually don't know if even the misdemeanor charge of minor in possession would have applied. Since he would have been under the supervision of a person whose property he was on and that person was over 18.

When we face the risk of danger while doing good, and then have that risk materialise into an active threat, and respond with bravery and the least force possible (shooting the *arm* of the man trying to murder him? Really? And not one shot at anyone not actively threatening his life?), you call it what you like. I think it's heroism. In the same way (though clearly not to the degree) as the American hero whose pastor convinced him pacifism was not the only right response to Nazi aggression, and proceeded to capture a whole patrol of German soldiers after storming the machine gun nest and killing only those he absolutely had to, to take the position.

@AntiFish03
Thanks for clarifying. I do agree he shouldn't have left the premises. I don't know if that was dumb, bad judgement, or bad luck.

(If he was, as I've heard suggested, travelling away with the group and then was separated after stopping to assist an injured protestor.)

They were trying to light a gas station on fire with a dumbster (that they had lit and were rolling toward the pumps) ... he darted over and put it out.

Riots and mob mentality are something that even the most veteran and well trained officers struggle with... Its fickle, and difficult to predict.

@SoonMrWick Yes I'm not sure if that was immediately before or some time earlier

I prefer dumbster spelling in that scenario

@SoonMrWick Totally dangerous for sure. It could have ended with so many more dead.

A lot is packed into 5 minutes but discussed as though it happened over the course of a day or more.

@SoonMrWick The footage I saw of him with the fire extingisher seemed to be earlier in the evening, by the light in the video, but it's hard to tell

I'm not applauding his moral ground, but his decision making process on harmful vs harmless was on point. The very second someone put their hands up (even faintly) the barrel of his gun went down.

The very second he began to be reingaged ... they got a bullet

My point was that there are a lot of factors here, I have no issue with his being there, I have no problem with him being armed, I have no issue with him defending himself. I do believe that if he had made better choices he would not have been solo in a mob during a riot. And it likely would not have happened. But hindsight being what it is you have to evaluate everything based on what information he had available at the time.

I still take issue with him being called a hero because he saved his own backside.

But his application of self defense was on point and very controlled.

Btw I am Australian and we literally cannot even get a license to carry pepper spray in any but 1 state. Society here has a very different view in general of heroism. Calling the cops is about as heroic as you're allowed to be.

@Lady Georgia, you just advanced to level 5!

@AntiFish03 Good points and I understand the pushback on the hero label. It's not exactly a self-evident title. I would suggest everyone there who honestly risked their safety to protect the livelihoods of friends and neighbours was a hero in some way. Purple heart, not exactly. But heroism comes in all shapes and sizes. Kyle isn't a hero because he was attacked. He's a hero because he was attacked in the line of duty, duty he volunteered for, knowing the possible consequences, and he handled the attack with bravery and restraint.

Where it gets REALLY murky is knowing Rosenbaugh (sp?) Well, I won't explain it. Someone else has. This is where it gets to be like......how much did he egg this on very much expecting the outcome of ☠️ (not kyle)

And kyle couldn't have known this aside from the verbal "shoot me then" infamous moment. Which you know you're not dealing with someone healthy when they command angrily that you shoot them.

https://youtu.be/4EM5vkF4yxw

Might he not have been attacked had he not been separated from the group? Sure, maybe. But I don't know the full context of how he came to be where he was at that time, so until I see something dumb, I won't call it dumb 🙂

...and as far as a good base foundation of video clips to go off of is here. Don't know if the source got buried. https://youtu.be/Z3IaFV_l2-k

...probably not the best choice of words 😂

I don't know if the link is far back in the thread.

He was originally at the location of the business owner who asked for help (where he put out the dumpster fire). Then he went with a group to another business needing help. He became separated when he was checking to see if anyone needed basic first aid, and the situation started from there.

I went full obsession researching when it happened 😅 That's how I originally found R&R Law. Elijah Schaeffer did some good coverage too (he interviewed Kyle earlier in the evening).

@AntiFish03 So, dumb, or poor judgement due to inexperience?

Poor judgment and lack of experience. I don't expect a 17 year old to have the experience necessary for a situation like that.

He shouldn't have left his group, but he didn't know that

I think "dumb" was substituted as a polite conversation filler to be "murder is bad" ... I don't think he was trying describe kyles decisions or actions, or whether or not people support them. Just my take.

👍

I have experience and training (although it is out of date now, I am not an active member of law enforcement anymore) but because of it I know I would not be immune to something similar, honestly it's not difficult to get sucked in as a good person to help others. The difference is that as an officer you have a lot more resources available to you. Like a radio and probably about a 100 other officers within 10-30 seconds. Vs a kid with no backup and out numbered probably 100 to 1. I am not going to slight him on his intentions at all. Helping people is an honorable thing and it should be praised. Being unaware of your surroundings and getting separated from your safety net though is a problem.

As a lifeguard he should have been taught something similar to this, if the area isn't safe don't go into it. It's step 1 for all first responder type positions. For an officer it's slightly different, it's secure the scene.

You can't do anything to help someone if you are the one who needs help.

Military also has the concept of no combat medicine for a reason as well.

No, I firmly believe what Kyle did was irresponsible and indeed dumb.

Take it as you will.

just a kid trying to help the community, probably not the best idea but not illegal

Never said it was illegal.

I fall under the category of "not the best idea".

yeah many are, its just being slow rolled because leftists might burn down Kenosha again when he is acquitted

What he did was illegal, though. I'm trying to dispel this notion that people seem to think because what I thought he did was dumb that he's a murderer.