Updated: 6:19 AM PDT, April 23, 2021
William Kelly, a former police officer with the Norfolk Police Department, left troubling comments along with his $25 donation, city officials said.
A police lieutenant who expressed support for and donated to Kyle Rittenhouse’s campaign has been fired, Norfolk, Virginia officials said in a statement. Former Lt. William Kelly allegedly left a comment on Rittenhouse s crowdfunding campaign that read, “God bless. Thank you for your courage. Keep your head up. You’ve done nothing wrong. Every rank and file police officer supports you,” the Virginian-Pilot reported.
Rittenhouse is facing charges stemming from the Kenosha protests that broke out in August after an officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, multiple times. Rittenhouse is charged with two counts of first-degree homicide in connection with the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and and one count of attempted homicide in connection with injuring Giage Grosskreutz. Rit
An officer in southeastern Virginia has been fired after reports surfaced that he donated to and expressed support for Kyle Rittenhouse, who is charged with killing two people in protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake last summer.
Norfolk Police Lt. William Kelly was relieved of duty Tuesday after a data breach showed his email address was linked to an initially anonymous $25 donation to Rittenhouse’s legal defense fund, according to The Guardian.
Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with killing Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, late on Aug. 25 during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, over the police shooting two days earlier of Blake, a Black man who was left paralyzed.
The development came after news organizations including The Virginian-Pilot reported that they had obtained data from a Christian crowdfunding website that was hacked, apparently showing an initially anonymous $25 donation to Rittenhouse s legal defense fund was linked to Kelly s work email address.
According to the newspaper, the donation carried the comment: “God bless. Thank you for your courage. Keep your head up. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
It went on to say, “ Every rank and file police officer supports you.”
According to prosecutors, Rittenhouse, who is white, came to Kenosha, Wisconsin, last August as the city was in the throes of chaotic protests after a white police officer shot a Black man, Jacob Blake, in the back during a domestic disturbance. Rittenhouse was 17 at the time.
Officer Who Gave $25 to Kyle Rittenhouseâs Defense Loses Job
Lt. William Kelly of the Norfolk Police Department in Virginia was relieved of duty by city officials, who said his support for the Kenosha, Wis., shooting suspect undermined the publicâs trust in law enforcement.
Kyle Rittenhouse, left, during a demonstration in August in Kenosha, Wis., where, the authorities say, he killed two people.Credit.Adam Rogan/The Journal Times, via Associated Press
April 21, 2021
A police lieutenant in Virginia lost his job this week after he contributed $25 to a legal-defense fund and expressed praise for Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager charged with killing two people last year during protests in Kenosha, Wis., officials said.
Police officer fired over donation, note to teen killing suspect: ‘You’ve done nothing wrong’
Updated 11:06 AM;
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) The Virginia city of Norfolk has fired a police lieutenant after news reports that said he donated to and expressed support for Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager accused of killing two people during a police brutality protest in Wisconsin last summer.
City officials announced Tuesday that police Lt. William Kelly had been “relieved of duty” after an internal investigation.
“His egregious comments erode the trust between the Norfolk Police Department and those they are sworn to serve. The City of Norfolk has a standard of behavior for all employees, and we will hold staff accountable,” City Manager Chip Filer said in a statement.