Third injured Kenosha shooting victim is a social justice activist

A man who was shot in the bicep while confronting a gunman during the Black Lives Matter protests in Kenosha has been identified as a social justice activist. 

Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, from West Allis, 40 miles north of Kenosha, was left in a serious condition after being shot by 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse amid protests in the city on Tuesday night.

Grosskreutz, who worked as a paramedic in Milwaukee and is currently studying outdoor education at a college in Wisconsin, was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery and is now in a stable condition.

Video and images from that night show Grosskreutz was holding a pistol in his right hand when he was shot by Rittenhouse.

Moments prior, the teenager had shot and killed two others – 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum and 26-year-old Anthony Huber. 

Patti Wenzel, 55, who considers Grosskreutz to be ‘like a son’, revealed he had been injured and said he is expected to keep his arm, but will need reconstructive surgery.

Speaking to the Chicago Sun Times, she said Grosskreutz had gone to the protest equipped with a medical bag – intending to provide help, if anybody needed it.

Despite ending up being the one who needed medical attention, Wenzel said Grosskreutz had the ‘wherewithal’ to tell those helping him to apply a tourniquet, to stop him from bleeding out.

She added: ‘He’s always been someone who’d help out his friends and give them the shirt off his back if he has one.’ 

Wenzel added that Grosskreutz is part of the People’s Revolution Movement of Milwaukee, a social justice group.

She said he is also a keen kayaker, and often takes people out on boating trips. He is due to graduate from college in December, records show.  

Video and images from Tuesday night show Grosskreutz approach Rittenhouse while the teen is sitting on the ground, having been knocked down by other protesters.

As Grosskreutz approaches with a pistol in his right hand, Rittenhouse opens fire, hitting Grosskreutz in the arm.

He quickly turns away, clutching his forearm and screaming in pain as blood streams over his hands.

Additional images show Grosskreutz sitting on the floor as fellow activists strap a tourniquet to his upper arm, before he is taken to hospital.

Autopsies on the other two victims show that Huber died from a single gunshot to the chest which struck him in the heart.

Meanwhile Rosenbaum died from multiple gunshots that hit him in the pelvis, back, and hand.

After the shooting, Rittenhouse was able to leave the scene and travel home across state lines to Antioch, Illinois, where he was arrested the following day.

He is now facing a five-count federal indictment, which includes first-degree murder, reckless homicide and attempted murder.

First-degree murder carries a possible sentence of life in prison.

Rittenhouse’s lawyer has admitted that he carried out the shooting, but said the boy acted in self-defense after being attacked by protesters.

‘From my standpoint, it’s important that the message be clear to other Americans who are attacked that there will be legal resources available in the event false charges are brought against them,’ attorney Lin Wood said.

Demonstrators had taken to the streets of Kenosha following the shooting of unarmed black man Jacob Blake, which was caught on camera.

Blake could be seen walking to his car as officers pointed their gun at him, before being shot seven times in the back as he opened the door and attempted to get in.

Police have subsequently said they found a knife on the floor of the car, and that they had been called by Blake’s girlfriend, who told them he didn’t have permission to be on his property.