Facebook removes accounts of the 17-year-old arrested over Kenosha shooting

The social media accounts of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old suspect in Kenosha shooting have been removed by Facebook. Rittenhouse was identified and arrested by the US police officers on August 26 on the charges of shooting two people dead, wounding another in Kenosha during anti-police protests in the Wisconsin city on August 25.  In the aftermath of the horrific incident in Kenosha where multiple shots were heard being fired, the social network told an international media agency that the company has designated the shooting as mass murder and therefore have removed Rittenhouse’s accounts from both Facebook and Instagram. 

Facebook also added that it had removed a Kenosha Guard page along with a separate event page posted by the extremist group for violating a newly-introduced ban on groups that hail violent acts or motivate people to seek armed conflict.  The California-based company also said that at the moment, they have not found any evidence on the social network that showcases that Kyle Rittenhouse was a follower Kenosha Guard Page or that he received an invitation by the Event Page organised by them. 

Read - Teen Arrested After 2 Killed During Kenosha Unrest

Despite the direct proof of the 17-year-old Rittenhouse from Kenosha shootings to be related to the page, Facebook removed the Kenosha Guard Page and their Event Page saying it “violated our new policy addressing militia organizations and have been removed on that basis”. 

Amid growing violence in the United States, the social network also said that it has planned to remove any content that either supports or promotes violence or people behind such activities. The tech firm is also reportedly blocking the accounts from being created in the accused killer, Kyle Rittenhouse’s name. This came in the backdrop of outrage erupted after Kenosha police shot African American Jacob Blake reportedly multiple times in his back at a point-blank range in the Midwestern city. 

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Kenosha shooting incident

Since last week, the protesters have been demonstrating every night with rallies that eventually descended to violence later at night. The suspect, Kyle Rittenhouse shooting video shows the protesters being shot by an assault rifle and reportedly hitting at least two who tried to stop the 17-year-old. After killing two and wounding another, Rittenhouse can be seen in the clip walking down the street freely with a gun slung across his chest and while protesters scattered, police vehicles drove past him. After this incident, Police in Antioch, nearly 20 miles southwest of Kenosha announced the arrest of Kyle Rittenhouse wanted for murder. 

Read - Shootings Amid Kenosha Protests After Blake Shooting

Read - Kenosha Police: 3 Shot, 2 Fatally, During Wisconsin Protests

(With agency inputs)

(Image Credit: Unsplash)