Shell Shock festival, which raises funds for PTSD victims, is standing behind Kyle Rittenhouse after facing criticism for the Kenosha shooter's planned appearance.
Nearly three years after his criminal trial acquittal, Rittenhouse, now 21, is stoking controversy once again after it became known he was set to attend Shell Shock Festival in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 19. The festival is a concert charity event that "supports first responders struggling with injuries to include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)," according to an online description.
In November 2021, Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all charges against him in a legal case that divided the nation when he shot three men during a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as a teenager.
On Tuesday, Shell Shock founder Tyler Hoover confirmed Rittenhouse's appearance at the festival and said in a statement to USA TODAY that they "are not going to turn anyone down who wishes to attend; everyone is welcome."
"We do not discriminate," Hoover continued. "Shell Shock is a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Charity and Awareness event to support our military Veterans and first responders. Many influencers reached out to us to give their support, one of which was Kyle Rittenhouse."
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USA TODAY was unable to reach representatives for Rittenhouse for comment.
Eventbrite describes Shell Shock as a festival that "believes in a united front among our brothers and sisters who continue to fight the battles even after having served their country. This includes not only our veterans but also the first responders who stand alongside them, confronting the challenges and struggles that persist long after their service."
"Together, we form a strong and resilient community, dedicated to supporting each other through every battle."
Hoover's statement comes after metal band Evergreen Terrace took to Facebook Sunday to share with fans that they decided to drop out of the festival upon finding out that Rittenhouse would appear.
"Evergreen Terrace has always supported and continues to support philanthropic events for veterans, PTSD awareness, child poverty, and many more, but we will not align with an event promoting a perceived murderer such as Kyle Rittenhouse capitalizing off of their pseudo celebrity," the band wrote. "Unfortunately we did not do our due diligence with this particular event."
The band also noted that Shell Shock festival organizers seemingly "offered to pull Kyle from the event." USA TODAY has reached out to Evergreen Terrace for further comment.
Beyond that, the band said they "discovered several associated entities that we simply do not agree with. As advocates for free speech we are respectfully canceling the Shell Shock festival. We will be personally contributing to a veterans charity and urge you to do the same. The promoters have been nothing less than understanding."
"Lines we draw in the sand…depend on where we stand," the band concluded their Facebook statement.
On Sept. 30, Southpaw announced they were also dropping off of the Shell Shock festival in an Instagram post.
"We knew going into this, that the festival was veteran based, which we support. But knew nothing of a particular individual being a main focus of support for the show until after accepting it," the band wrote in a statement. "Due to events that have taken place and drama surrounding this particular individual, we made the decision to respectfully step down."
Their statement continued: "This simply is not what we signed up for. Period. Southpaw does not and not get involved in politics. Therefore we not align ourselves with it. Southpaw is about the music. Perseverance as an individual and the culture of hardcore."
Other bands including Let Me Bleed and American Hollow followed suit.
In 2020, at the age of 17, Rittenhouse took an AR-15-style rifle to a Black Lives Matter demonstration and fired it, killing two people and injuring a third. Rittenhouse said he pulled the trigger in self-defense and was acquitted of wrongdoing.
He fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz. At the time, he faced charges ranging from intentional homicide to reckless endangerment.
More:Kyle Rittenhouse, deadly shooter, college speaker? A campus gun-rights tour sparks outrage
Rittenhouse has since penned a book, "Acquitted" and has set out on a series of college speaking events dubbed the "Rittenhouse Recap."
Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Lindsay Schnell, Celina Tebor, Ryan W. Miller, Christal Hayes, Bruce Vielmetti, USA TODAY
