By Deon J. Hampton -
NBC News
KENOSHA, Wisconsin - This Lake Michigan city was quiet, calm and peaceful Sunday, and many residents want it to stay that way as closing arguments begin Monday in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
Procedures are scheduled to begin at 10 am ET.
"Monday is coming up, so I'm a little nervous," said Kenosha resident Mike Lipp, 35.
[Kyle Rittenhouse bursts into tears and justifies killing two people at the Kenosha protest: "I was defending myself!"]
Wisconsin has dispatched 500 National Guard personnel, and hundreds of nearby police officers will also be on hand as a precaution to ensure public safety during the conclusion of the trial.
But the increased attention and the added presence of law enforcement have taken a toll on the city, which is no longer as vibrant as it once was, said Max Lewis, a resident of the center.
“It has affected the energy of the city in a negative way.
Is not the same.
Everyone is trying to avoid and monitor the situation at the same time, ”Lewis said.
“We are a little dismayed by the situation.
This case should have been straightforward.
If you kill two people in the street, they punish you for it, end of story ”.
Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with reckless manslaughter, willful manslaughter and attempted murder after he shot dead two men and injured a third during a night of protests and civil unrest in Kenosha in August 2020.
"He hit me with his skateboard": Kyle Rittenhouse bursts into tears and claims he was defending himself
Nov. 11, 202102: 15
The riots were a response to shots fired by a Kenosha police officer at Jacob Blake following a domestic disturbance.
Blake was paralyzed from the waist down.
[Men shot in Kenosha by a young man cannot be called "victims" during the trial, according to the judge]
"Kenosha is ready to move on," said Patrick Roberts, the pastor of First Baptist Church, before his sermon Sunday.
"Everyone has calmed down, and the community understands that it needs to heal," he added.
Blake's family feels the same way, but wants justice to be served for the people Rittenhouse shot and killed.
Defendant Kyle Rittenhouse arrives after the lunch break at his trial in Circuit Court in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. Mark Hertzberg / AP
"I think they really want to put this behind us," said Justin Blake, 52, Jacob Blake's uncle.
“Most people think that he shouldn't have been here with this weapon.
Most people seem to want a conviction, "he said.
He added: "For the Blake family, it will be a small victory, because these people came together after coming from the Jacob Blake rally."
[Kyle Rittenhouse says he used the financial stimulus check to buy the rifle used in a fatal shooting]
Since last summer, residents say, life has largely returned to normal in this city of about 100,000.
In the city, on Sunday, most of the streets were empty and there were not many people outside, perhaps due to inclement weather and cold.
However, one thing is clear: Kenosha residents are prepared to leave the past behind and start over.
“I would say that Kenosha is doing quite well.
Everyone understands what is happening.
Obviously, it's unfortunate circumstances that led to this, but I think everyone is waiting for a conclusion to get over it, ”said Mark Amburn, 59, of neighboring Pleasant Prairie.
They reveal details of the young man who killed two people in protests against police violence in Wisconsin
Aug. 27, 202001: 56
John Eason, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the closing arguments and verdict will be a turning point for the United States.
[Trump officials received directives to testify in favor of Kyle Rittenhouse, according to documents]
“I think the mood in Wisconsin, not just Kenosha, is that they've gotten over the entire racial awakening.
Everything indicates that this is going to be the case that vindicates the whites, "Eason said, adding:" If the high point of social justice in the country was George Floyd, this is the pendulum that swings again.
This is the turning point, ”he added.
The Blake family also believe the trial has national implications.
“It's about the state of Wisconsin and the nation.
In any case, this case could set a precedent for gun rights, ”said Justin Blake.
As the trial draws to a close, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers asks visitors to stay away from Kenosha.
"I urge people who are not from the area to please respect the community by reconsidering any plans to travel there," he said in a statement.
"The Kenosha community has been strong, resilient, and united through incredibly difficult times these past two years, and that healing is still ongoing."
[The defense of the young man accused of killing two protesters in Wisconsin fights not to be extradited from Illinois]
Roberts said in his sermon that it is time for the community to come together.
“God answers the cries.
So for the Kenosha community to heal, we have to cry out to God in our prayers, ”he said.
“We know what's going on, we watch the news, we live here.
Stay away from bad behavior, bad character.
Stay away from evil, Kenosha, especially at night. "
