Last year, then-17 year old Kyle Rittenhouse rode from Illinois to Kenosha, Wisconsin—the site of unrest in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Rittenhouse, armed with an AR-15, began the night by guarding a vehicle dealership with other vigilantes, but later left the premises. As Rittenhouse was being chased by an unarmed Joseph Rosenbaum, he turned around and shot Rosenbaum four times in the chest, killing him.
After making a brief call to a friend, Rittenhouse attempted to leave the scene but was being pursued by protesters seeking to detain him. That's when he shot Anthony Huber, killing him, and Gage Grosskreutz, who was armed with a handgun, injuring him.
After nationwide outcry, Rittenhouse was charged with multiple counts, including murder charges for the deaths of Rosenbaum and Huber.
Rittenhouse claims he was acting in self defense and his actions have been scrutinized by the nation, with critics asking why he felt the need to drive across state lines in order to monitor civil unrest in the first place.
On Wednesday, Rittenhouse testified in his own trial. He broke down in tears during the testimony as he described the events of that night.
Watch below.
The moment saw its fair share of skeptics, especially with people noting Rittenhouse's actions in the time since the shooting. Just hours after a court hearing earlier this year, Rittenhouse was spotted at Pudgy's pub, where he took photos with admirers reportedly tied to the Proud Boys militia.
Rittenhouse flashed a white power symbol while smiling and wearing a tee shirt that said "Free as F**k."
People also noticed the absence of any actual tears during Rittenhouse's breakdown.
Soon, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary—which has gone viral in recent years for tweeting definitions relevant to current events—appeared to weigh in by sharing the definition of "crocodile tears."
Twitter users couldn't help but cackle at the shade
Merriam-Webster wasn't the only account to question the validity of Rittenhouse's tears.
The Rittenhouse trial is expected to conclude next week, though his attorneys have requested a mistrial.
