Kyle Rittenhouse takes the witness stand in his homicide trial

Rittenhouse said the decision to testify was his own.

Kyle Rittenhouse took the witness stand on Wednesday to testify in his own defense.

Rittenhouse began testifying in a Kenosha County courtroom after telling a judge that he made the decision to testify after consulting with his lawyers.

Under questioning from his attorney Mark Richards, the 18-year-old Rittenhouse began by speaking about his background as a trained lifeguard, a police cadet and a student studying nursing at Arizona State University.

"Did you come to downtown Kenosha to look for trouble?" Richards asked.