A man who was shot and injured by Kyle Rittenhouse in 2020 is outraged that he has become the “poster boy” for gun rights in America, embarked on a college tour and raised thousands of dollars along the way.
According to Paul Prediger, formerly known as Gaige Grosskreutz, Rittenhouse is a “fraud” and doesn’t deserve a platform in front of students or any other audience.
“He’s a dumb kid. … And then you have him going to the campuses about what? Nothing important,” Prediger told Newsweek. “I’ve seen his little speeches that he does — half of it is just him talking about, ‘Oh, I’m such a victim. I had to defend myself that night.’”
Rittenhouse, 21, shot Prediger at a Black Lives Matter protest in response to the police shooting of a unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020.
The then-17-year-old drove 20 miles from Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha and armed himself with an AR-15 style rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition, purportedly to protect businesses during the unrest.
Prediger, who was also armed, went to volunteer his medical services as a trained paramedic.
During his trial, Rittenhouse testified that he was forced to defend himself after Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man he killed that night, threw a plastic bag at him, chased him and pulled on his rifle.
Anthony Huber, who hit Rittenhouse in the head with a skateboard after he shot Rosenbaum, tried to disarm the shooter before Rittenhouse fatally shot the man in his chest, according to his own testimony.
While Prediger claims in his civil lawsuit against Rittenhouse and authorities that he approached the shooter with his hands up to show that he wasn’t a threat, Rittenhouse said that Prediger pointed a pistol to his head before he was shot.
Rittenhouse was found not guilty of the charges related to the shootings in November 2021.
However, Prediger said he not only suffered through physical injures but he had to change his name in 2022 after relentless harassment by Rittenhouse supporters. His new identity was exposed after a hit-and-run in September 2023.
“I’m traumatized from it still. I mean, I’m still working through PTSD, depression, anxiety and being able to trust people, and being comfortable in public, frankly,” Prediger told Newsweek.
Meanwhile, Prediger believes that it absurd that the teenager who shot him is now an influencer who recently partnered with Turning Point USA for a college speaking tour titled “The Rittenhouse Recap,” which is advertised as a speech about the importance of the “Second Amendment and the lies of BLM.”
“Objectively, I think he’s an idiot. Unfortunately, he is like a poster boy,” Prediger added. “He’s essentially lived out a fantasy that I feel like a lot of Americans probably have, where they get to justifiably defend themselves with force against rioters and protesters, especially given the climate of the country in 2020. I think it’s definitely dangerous rhetoric, especially with our election coming up.”
“I think, at the end of the day, he’s a fraud, in the sense of what does Kyle Rittenhouse even know about gun laws, apart from whatever the adults in his life told him? Whether it’s his attorneys or fans or other politicians.”
The 21-year-old made his first appearance at the University of Memphis on March 20 where he was met with protests and jeers from students before abruptly walking off the stage. His second appearance at Western Kentucky University also drew protests but was more peaceful. He is expected to speak at the Kent State University on Tuesday despite nearly 5,000 people signing a petition opposing the event.
Since the shooting and his subsequent acquittal Rittenhouse has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars he claims he needs to fight the legal challenges against him.
Prediger’s lawsuit is still at the discovery phase, and Huber’s father has filed a separate suit. Rittenhouse has also made appearances on right-wing media shows and amassed over a million followers on the social media platform X.
In November, Rittenhouse released the book, “Acquitted,” where he painted himself as a teenager who came from poverty and went to Kenosha to secure businesses and provide medical aid.
“My case split the nation into opposing sides fueled by emotions, politics, and misconceptions driven by media and political figures,” Rittenhouse wrote on X upon the release on his book. “Today, I want you to learn the truth, and know the real and honest version of my story – without filters or an agenda. My story of survival, resilience, and justice…”
The book currently ranks 297,952 in the Amazon Kindle store. Still, last week, Rittenhouse launched a subscription service on X and announced that he was a Patriot Pay Ambassador — a spokesmodel for a credit card processing service for businesses that support conservative beliefs.
At the end of the day, Prediger wants Rittenhouse to suffer some consequences. “It’s just my goal to take him down on this trial, and show the world what he is. And I think that’ll speak enough within itself.”
Time will tell.
“I think Kyle Rittenhouse is the only person who came out on top in this situation. He should have been held accountable. And I’m not just saying that to be biased because he shot me.”
