Kyle Rittenhouse Hospitalized After Brown Recluse Spider Bite

Rittehouse shared photos from his hospital bed, writing, "The communists couldn't take me out and I'll be damned if I let a brown recluse take me out" Kyle Rittenhouse was hospitalized this week after being bitten by a brown recluse spider Rittenhouse became a household name in 2020 after he shot and killed two men at a protest against police violence in Kenosha, Wis. In his post about his hospitalization, he wrote, "The communists couldn't take me out and I'll be damned if I let a brown recluse take me out" Kyle Rittenhouse, the Wisconsin man who became a household name and a gun rights advocate after he shot and killed two people at a protest against police violence in 2020, was hospitalized this week. Rittenhouse, 23, shared the news on social media, posting a shirtless selfie that showed him hooked up to multiple monitors in a hospital room. "The communists couldn't take me out and I'll be damned if I let a brown recluse take me out," he captioned the pics, another of which showed circles drawn in marker on his thigh, highlighting where he said he was bitten by a brown recluse spider. In a follow-up post, Rittenhouse shared a photo of himself in a tree stand, looking out the sight of a rifle, with the caption, "The spider, like the commies, also thought it was a good idea to come after me while I was armed. He did not survive." According to MedlinePlus, brown recluse spiders are most common in the south and central states of the United States. Their bite is sometimes not felt initially or can feel like a sharp sting. Symptoms can include chills, itching, general ill-feeling or discomfort, fever, nausea, sweating, and a reddish or purplish color or large sore in the area of the bite. More rarely, the bite can cause severe reactions like blood in urine, jaundice, kidney failure, seizures, and coma. Rittenhouse received ample support following his post, including from some high-profile conservatives. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul wrote, "you got this," to which Rittenhouse responded, "Thank you, Senator!" Alt-right media personality Jack Posobiac also told Rittenhouse to "stay protected." He wrote back, "Thank you brother!" Rittenhouse has said that, on Aug. 25, 2020, he answered a citizen militia's call on social media to protect Kenosha businesses from protesters, who were taking to the streets in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Then just 17, Rittenhouse initially told a local reporter that he was only there as a "trained medic," despite being armed with an AR-style assault rifle. However, amid the unrest, he shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, then 26. He was initially charged with six criminal counts ranging from first-degree intentional homicide to misdemeanor illegal firearms possession by a minor, but claimed self-defense, saying the men had attacked him. Ultimately, the jury was in his favor, finding Rittenhouse not guilty of first-degree reckless homicide in Rosenbaum's death; not guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in Huber's death; and not guilty of attempted first-degree intentional homicide in the non-fatal shooting of Grosskreutz. The remaining charges dismissed by jurors were both for first-degree recklessly endangering the safety through use of a dangerous weapon, involving two other men who were not shot. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Huber's parents, Karen Bloom and John Huber, released an emailed statement to media following the verdict that described them as "heartbroken and angry" over the acquittals. They said, "Today's verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street. We hope that decent people will join us in forcefully rejecting that message and demanding more of our laws, our officials, and our justice system."