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(CNN)Kyle Rittenhouse provoked the fatal shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year by pointing his AR-15-style weapon at Joseph Rosenbaum, prosecutors said Monday in closing arguments of his homicide trial.

“That is what provokes this entire incident,” prosecutor Thomas Binger said. “When the defendant provokes this incident, he loses the right to self-defense. You cannot claim self-defense against a danger you create.”

The prosecutor dismissed Rittenhouse’s “cockamamie theory” that Rosenbaum — who did not have anything in his hands when he was shot — was going to take the teenager’s gun and kill other people.

      “They have to convince you that Joseph Rosenbaum was going to take that gun and use it on the defendant because they know you can’t claim self-defense against an unarmed man like this,” he said. “You lose the right to self-defense when you’re the one who brought the gun, when you’re the one creating the danger, when you’re the one provoking other people.”

        The closing arguments began midday Monday and are set to last up to five hours. The jury of eight men and 10 women will then be narrowed to 12 people by a drawing of names before deliberations begin.

          The latest on the Kyle Rittenhouse trial

          Earlier Monday, Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed a misdemeanor weapons charge against Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse, 18, now faces five felony charges and, if convicted on the most serious charge, could face a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

          Judge Schroeder also read a set of legal instructions to the jury and informed them they will be allowed to consider lesser included offenses for two of the five counts.

          The court hearing comes at the end of a two-week trial highlighted by emotional and illuminating testimony from Rittenhouse himself, who said he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot Rosenbaum, who had thrown a plastic bag at him and chased him.

          A crowd of people pursued the teenager, and Rittenhouse testified he shot in self-defense at a man who tried to kick him; fatally shot Anthony Huber, who had hit him with a skateboard; and shot Gaige Grosskreutz, who was armed with a pistol. Rosenbaum and Huber were killed, and Grosskreutz was wounded.

          The trial featured more than a dozen videos from the night, showing what happened before, during and after the shootings. Most of the facts of what happened that night were not up for debate — rather, the heart of the trial was the analysis of Rittenhouse’s actions and whether they can be considered “reasonable.”

          Prosecutor says the case is about life over property

          Kyle Rittenhouse breaks down on the stand as he testifies about his encounter with Joseph Rosenbaum during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

          Binger’s closing argument began by noting the trial was not about politics, or looting, or rioting — but instead about how life is more important than property.

          “I think we can also agree that we should not have 17-year-olds running around our streets with AR-15s, because this is exactly what happens,” he said.

          The prosecutor challenged Rittenhouse’s motivation for coming into Kenosha that night during the chaotic aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake. He pointed out Rittenhouse traveled across state lines, violated a curfew and was not protecting his family or property. He also spent the night lying about being an EMT, Binger said.

          “Was he genuinely interested in helping people? He ran around with an AR-15… and lied about being an EMT,” Binger said. “Does that suggest to you that he genuinely is there to help?”

          Here's what the jury in Kyle Rittenhouse's trial will have to weigh

          Using several videos, Binger chronologically walked through the course of events that night, from the decision to go downtown, to the initial shooting of Rosenbaum, to the second set of shootings while he tried to flee. Jurors “are playing close attention” to the series of videos and images, according to a pool reporter in court.

          Binger argued Rittenhouse provoked Rosenbaum by pointing a weapon at him before the man chased him down.

          A series of witnesses testified during the trial Rosenbaum had acted erratically and earlier threatened Rittenhouse. But the prosecutor noted there was no video of any threat and questioned whether it really happened. Instead, Binger described the 5-foot-4-inch Rosenbaum as “a little dog” who was all bark and no bite.

          In the second shooting incident, the crowd of people confronted Rittenhouse because they reasonably believed he was an active shooter, Binger said.

          “That crowd was right. That crowd was full of heroes. That crowd did something that honestly, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to do,” he said.

          Rittenhouse, meanwhile, acted recklessly by loading his weapon with full metal jacket ammo capable of piercing armor and having little understanding of the weapon or the consequences of his actions, Binger argued.

          “On the witness stand, he broke down crying about himself, not about anybody that he hurt that night,” he said. “No remorse, no concern for anyone else.”

          Judge dismisses weapons charge

          The judge’s dismissal of the misdemeanor charge was part of a debate over jury instructions and lesser offenses on Monday. That charge, possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, was punishable by up to nine months in prison.

          Still, Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Rosenbaum, first-degree recklessly endangering safety for endangering Richard McGinnis, and attempted first-degree recklessly endangering safety for endangering an unknown person identified in court as “jump kick man.”

          He is also charged with first-degree intentional homicide while using a dangerous weapon for the killing of Huber. It is the most severe charge Rittenhouse faces and the only charge that carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

          Kyle Rittenhouse testifies he knew Joseph Rosenbaum was unarmed but acted in self-defense during fatal shooting

          Judge Schroeder gave jurors instructions on Monday for the lesser included offenses of second-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide for Huber’s death. Both lesser offenses are punishable by up to 60 years in prison.

          For shooting Grosskreutz, Rittenhouse is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, punishable by up to 60 years in prison. Judge Schroeder also gave jurors instructions on lesser offenses of attempted second-degree intentional homicide or first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

          The instructions to the jury Monday stretched for over an hour. Judge Schroeder stopped midway through to discuss them with the attorneys further and noted how convoluted they are.

          “They are certainly correct in what they say, I just think they are not clear,” he said.

            In a conference Friday about jury instructions, the judge told Rittenhouse presenting lesser offenses to the jury lowers the possibility of a second trial but increases the risk of a conviction. Schroeder explained if the prosecution is not able to establish Rittenhouse’s guilt on the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt, then the jury must acquit him.

            The coming deliberations will be closely watched locally. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced 500 National Guard troops are on standby outside of Kenosha, ahead of a possible verdict.

            CNN’s Steve Almasy, Aya Elamroussi and Amir Vera contributed to this report.

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