Officer William Kelly of Norfolk, Virginia, donated to Rittenhouse, The Guardian reported last week.
Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting two people at an anti-racism protest last August.
Norfolk officials announced Kelly s firing on Tuesday, saying his donation eroded public trust.
A Norfolk, Virginia police officer has been fired for donating to the legal defense of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of fatally shooting two anti-racism protesters last year.
Rittenhouse is accused of killing two protesters and injuring a third after he opened fire at a demonstration against the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year.
Virginia city fires police officer over Kyle Rittenhouse donation
By AP author
Kyle Rittenhouse
NORFOLK, Va. - 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.
Norfolk fires police lieutenant who donated to accused vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse foxnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from foxnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Jonathan Edwards, The Virginian-Pilot
The second in command of the Norfolk, Virginia Police Departmentâs internal affairs unit has been fired after he made what the city manager called âegregiousâ comments praising Kyle Rittenhouse, the white man accused of shooting and killing protestors last year.
Those comments violated departmental policies and âerode the trust between the Norfolk Police Department and those they are sworn to serve,â City Manager Chip Filer said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Filer and Police Chief Larry Boone did not say which specific policy Lt. William K. Kelly III violated. When asked, a police spokesman said he would check with the city attorney but did not respond further.
NORFOLK, Va. â The second in command of the Norfolk Police Departmentâs internal affairs unit has been fired after he made what the city manager called âegregiousâ comments praising Kyle Rittenhouse, the white man accused of shooting and killing protesters in Wisconsin last year.
Those comments violated departmental policies and âerode the trust between the Norfolk Police Department and those they are sworn to serve,â City Manager Chip Filer said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Filer and Police Chief Larry Boone did not say which specific policy Lt. William K. Kelly III violated. When asked, a police spokesman said he would check with the city attorney and did not respond further.