In an unexpected turn of events, Kyle Rittenhouse, who gained notoriety after his acquittal on murder charges, surprised his followers by sharing that he is recuperating in a hospital due to a venomous spider bite.
The 23-year-old, known for his conservative views, uploaded an image showing him connected to heart monitors with an IV in his arm. The photograph also displayed a noticeable red mark on his thigh, which he claimed was the bite.
Rittenhouse took to social media, stating defiantly, “The communists couldn’t take me out, and I refuse to let a brown recluse do it either.”
Brown recluse spiders, although rarely seen, are notorious for their potent venom, which can cause serious injury or even death, as reported by the National Capital Poison Center.
Rittenhouse was acquitted of homicide charges in 2021 following the fatal shooting of two individuals at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Additionally, he shared another image on Wednesday, depicting himself readying to shoot a rifle, hinting at a form of retaliation.
‘The spider, like the commies, also thought it was a good idea to come after me while I was armed. He did not survive,’ he said.
Rittenhouse admitted, however, that he did ‘wish I was Spider-man now’ after the bite.
Kyle Rittenhouse shocked fans when he posted photos of him in a hospital after being bitten by a venomous spider
The 23-year-old conservative influencer was in good spirits despite being hooked up to machines and IVs puncturing his torso, while also having visible red marks on his thigh
Rittenhouse was charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering for killing Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and wounding a third person with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle in the summer of 2020.
It came during a tumultuous night of post-Floyd protests over the shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake, by a white Kenosha police officer.
A jury found Rittenhouse not guilty of five felony charges including a murder charge.
Since then, victims and their families have brought forward separate lawsuits against Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse has divided opinion since the verdict in 2021.
President Biden came out after the decision and said he was ‘angry and concerned’, but said he stood with the jury’s decision.
‘I stand with the jury as the jury system has concluded. The jury system works and you have to abide by it,’ he told reporters at the time.
Some outraged celebrities went online to complain about the decision, with performer Bette Midler saying it was a ‘tragic, tragic day’.
Rittenhouse has divided opinion since the verdict in 2021
‘#kylerittenhouse found not guilty tho we SAW HIM kill two,’ she shared with her followers on Twitter that November.
‘Fundamentally stupid, I predict he will go on to a big career on #Fox and in #RadicalRightWing circles, which counts as a plus with them. A tragic, tragic day for decent, THINKING, feeling, ethical people everywhere.’
Donald Trump congratulated Rittenhouse, a supporter of the former president, on the verdict.
‘Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found INNOCENT of all charges,’ said Trump in an emailed statement.
The 20-year old has looked to reinvent himself as a content creator, right wing influencer and student since the verdict.
Rittenhouse, who raised more than a million dollars in crowdfunded donations for his Kenosha legal defense, has attracted a large following to his YouTube channel dedicated to his interest in guns.
He has also organized a number of speaking events, talking on the Kenosha unrest and Second Amendment rights.
