What Makes a Victim a Victim?

Victim is defined as “a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.”

From a strictly definition-based stand point, the people shot by Kyle Rittenhouse are victims. Rittenhouse, a Wisconsin youth who was there during the Kenosha Protests, shot three men. Rittenhouse and his defense are claiming self-defense in his argument.

The people shot were killed in the shooting. So what are they if not victims?

Judge Bruce Schroeder of Kenosha, WI is presiding over the case. He would argue that the people shot in the Rittenhouse case should be called “rioters, looters and arsonists” by the defense and prosecution. This terminology is correct, but this is not a trial for those crimes. This is a trial of Rittenhouse, who is being charged with the shooting of three people, two of whom died. This is not to absolve the three men of their crimes of rioting, looting and arson, this is not a case about them. Rather, this is a case of Rittenhouse, which makes them victims.

Back to the definition: victims are people harmed, injured or killed in a result of a crime. The crime of Rittenhouse at the most basic level is assault with a deadly weapon and murder. So, assault and murder are the established crime committed. Seeing as how two of the people shot were killed, and one was injured, they fit the definition of a victim.