During a radio interview on Thursday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) defended Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged in the fatal shootings of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, saying the teen acted in self-defense and praising him because he did not “empty a magazine into a crowd."

The Courier Journal reports,

Kyle Rittenhouse has been charged with two counts of first-degree homicide and several other felony counts after traveling from Illinois to Kenosha on Aug. 25 and shooting three protesters, two of which died.

A self-described militia member, Rittenhouse shot the protesters after days of unrest in the city following video that went public of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer.

Massie said during the interview:

“He exhibited incredible restraint and presence and situational awareness. He didn’t empty a magazine into a crowd. I think the strongest thing he has for him is the actual video evidence. And if I were on a jury and all I had was the evidence that I have been able to acquire through social media and the videos that are out there, I would not convict him of a single one of these charges.”

Read the full report.