President Donald Trump defended Illinois teenager Kyle Rittenhouse after he shot and killed two rioters during riots Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The president said that the case was still under investigation, but that he watched the videotape of the altercation that led to the shooting.
“He was trying to get away from them, I guess, it looks like and he fell and then they very violently attacked him,” Trump said.
Rittenhouse was charged by prosecutors with first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree intentional homicide last week as three people were shot during the altercation.
“I guess he was in very big trouble, he probably would have been killed, but it’s under investigation,” Trump said.
When asked if he supported armed militia at the riots, Trump said he preferred to see the police take care of it.
“I’d like to see law enforcement take care of everything,” he said.
He argued that police needed to be freed up from degrading criticism so that they could do their jobs correctly.
“We have to give our cops back our police back, their dignity their respect, they’re very talented people, they’re strong they’re tough they can do the job,” Trump said.
The president defended police officers, even those who “choked” and made the wrong decision in a tough situation.
“When someone makes a mistake, he chokes … they have a quarter of a second to make a decision and sometimes they make the wrong decision,” Trump added.
He admitted though that there were still a small minority of “bad cops” who deserved to be punished and held accountable.