A Virginia police officer who donated money to support murder suspect Kyle Rittenhouse was fired, authorities said Tuesday.
Lt. William Kelly, who worked in internal affairs for the Norfolk Police Department, was fired after voicing his support for Rittenhouse and making an anonymous $ 25 donation to his defense fund. The officer’s message at the time was, in part, “God bless. Thank you for your courage. Keep your head up. You haven’t done anything wrong. “
Norfolk police said Kelly was initially placed on administrative leave last Friday while officials were investigating the former officer’s actions.
“Chief Larry Boone and I have concluded that Lt. Kelly’s actions run counter to city and department policy,” said Chip Filer, Norfolk City Manager. they are sworn to serve. The City of Norfolk has a standard of conduct for all employees and we will hold staff accountable. “
Rittenhouse, who is accused of shooting two men during protests against police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is a famous cause among conservative activists who believe the teenager had the right to open fire in self-defense on August 25.
In November, he was released from Kenosha County Jail on a $ 2 million bond, which was largely raised by Conservatives. MyPillow Inc. founder Mike Lindell and former “Silver Spoons” child actor Ricky Schroder played a key role in “putting us over the top” in coming up with bail, Rittenhouse’s attorney, Lin Wood, said at the time.
Other donors included a paramedic in Utah and an engineer from the famous Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory near San Francisco.
“A police department cannot do its job if the public loses trust with those whose duty it is to serve and protect them,” Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone said in a statement announcing Kelly’s resignation. “We don’t want the perception of an individual officer to undermine relationships between the Norfolk Police Department and the community.”
Police said Kelly can file a complaint and appeal the city’s decision. He has not publicly commented on the donation or termination.
