Gun rights activist, Kyle Rittenhouse, has been hospitalized after being bitten by a venomous brown recluse spider.
The firearms instructor shared an update from his hospital bed, telling followers on X that the spider “did not survive” the encounter.
“The spider, like the commies, also thought it was a good idea to come after me while I was armed,” he wrote.
At 23, Rittenhouse received a wave of supportive messages in reply, with comments coming from fans as well as political figures.
Rittenhouse added: “The communists couldn’t take me out and i’ll be damned if I let a brown recluse take me out.”
US Sen. Rand Paul wrote: “You got this.”
As another user said: “Stay strong patriot.”
“Those things are no joke,” a third added.
Photos suggested the bite left him with a large, reddened area on his leg, which was being treated by medical staff.
Brown recluse bites can sometimes lead to serious complications and may warrant urgent care, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Reported symptoms can include pain near the bite and aching in nearby muscles, along with discomfort in the abdomen, back, chest, or legs, as well as blistering, swelling, and bruising.
The Mayo Clinic notes that while some people experience broader reactions such as fever and nausea—and in rare cases blood-related complications—many bites improve without major intervention and can heal over the course of a few weeks.
Rittenhouse became nationally known in 2020 after shooting three people during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, killing two and injuring one.
Those shot were Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, who were killed, and paramedic Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, who was wounded.
Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, said he fired the shots in self defence.
He was later acquitted of all charges by a jury in November 2021, in a case that drew intense political debate.
In the years since, he has leaned into public speaking and advocacy focused on gun rights and self-defence.
He has served as chief firearms instructor and director of partnerships for Texas Gun Rights, an organization that describes itself as the state’s “largest no-compromise gun rights organization.”
Rittenhouse has also met President Trump after the trial and appeared at Turning Point USA events.
After stepping away from social media in 2025, he later returned to announce his marriage to Bella Nelson Rittenhouse.
Wedding photos shared of the couple showed them posing with firearms.