The man who admitted firing shots before Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot two people during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was charged, officials said.
Joshua Ziminski, 35, faces charges of disorderly conduct and use of a dangerous weapon following the Aug. 25 shooting that occurred in the midst of riots and protests in Kenosha after police shot Jacob Blake in the back.
According to a police complaint, officials said Ziminski was seen holding a black handgun. They said he was seen walking with his wife near a gas station before firing one shot into the air.
“Detective Howard observed a muzzle flash emit from the handgun, and heard a gunshot at the same time,” the complaint said, according to Fox News. “In another video, the defendant is clearly seen at that same location. The defendant is seen walking in the same area, holding his right arm upwards, and firing off one shot from his handgun.”
Officials said that Ziminski and his wife both admitted that he fired a shot into the air. Ziminski pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and was released on $1,000 bond, according to records.
Rittenhouse’s attorney, Lin Wood, told Fox News that video footage of the incident proves that Rittenhouse is innocent.
A police armored vehicle patrols an intersection while a building set afire by rioters burns in Kenosha, Wis., on Aug. 24, 2020. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)“The evidence is overwhelming,” he said on Tuesday. “There’s not one iota of evidence that he did anything except defend himself.”
Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three people, including two fatally. He will not be charged in Illinois, officials announced this week.
Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim said that after an investigation, it “revealed the gun used in the Kenosha shooting was purchased, stored, and used in Wisconsin. Additionally, there is no evidence the gun was ever physically possessed by Kyle Rittenhouse in Illinois.”
“The Antioch Police Department and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office will not be releasing any additional details regarding this investigation as to not disrupt any investigation that may be taking place in Wisconsin,” Nerheim’s office said.
Rittenhouse is scheduled for another court appearance on Oct. 30.
Prosecutors had said that in the incident, Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, approached the teen in a parking lot in Kenosha, leading to Rittenhouse to open fire. Footage showed Rittenhouse running down the road as people hit him, prompting the teen to shoot.
Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, 26, were identified as the two who died. Gaige Grosskreutz, 22, was shot in the arm during the incident, officials said.
The shooting occurred as riots, looting incidents, and arson incidents erupted across the city in response to Blake’s shooting.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Focus News: Man Who Fired Shots Before Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha Is Charged: Officials