A Wisconsin judge ruled Monday that the men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse’s defense team can be referred to as “rioters” or “looters” but as “victims” in the upcoming court case.

“Schroeder indicated he would allow evidence of bad behavior that night by the men Rittenhouse shot because it could speak to how dangerous they would have seemed to the teen,” according to The Chicago Tribune.

The judge in Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial says lawyers cannot call the 2 people he killed “victims.”

Rittenhouse killed 2 people and wounded another with an AR-15 style weapon. The judge says “victim” is too “loaded” but will let lawyers call them “rioters, looters or arsonists.” pic.twitter.com/KqK73Z3ytN

— AJ+ (@ajplus) October 26, 2021

Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to charges against him in January when he fatally shot two men and wounded another. He claimed the shootings were in self-defense.

Rittenhouse shot the three men during riots in Kenosha in summer 2020 after a police officer shot Jacob Blake.

The high-profile case will likely capture the nation’s attention as it involves an AR-15 rifle that killed two Black Lives Matter protesters. Even if the case proves the shooter acted in self-defense, the ruling could spark unrest.

Rittenhouse was 17 years old at the time of the shooting. He had volunteered as a security guard to protect after businesses had been vandalized the night before the shooting.

Now Rittenhouse must prove he acted in self-defense before the court, opening the details to the case to new consideration.