This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knoxville-based executive protection firm provided security detail for Kyle Rittenhouse and his family during last month’s trial. T.C. Willis works for The Kajor Group and served as one of the lead agents throughout the trial.

Willis said he is speaking out with the permission of the Rittenhouse family and his company about what he feels are misconceptions in this case.

“I have to think about everything that the client shouldn’t have to think about or wouldn’t think about, that’s my responsibility,” said Willis of his job.

Willis said the Rittenhouse job was unlike any other in his more than a decade of service. “When you have a client and their family you go to court and it says ‘the state versus the individual that a little bit of a harrowing experience, that’s a different level,” he said.

Willis said he was in the courtroom every day with the Rittenhouses throughout the trial and that is one reason he was given the green light to speak out about his experience.

“It’s a different perspective and I guess being black, obviously, for someone that was being called a racist for over a year and a half,” he began. “No, they are definitely not racist.”

He said he wants people to avoid rushing to judgment in cases like these. “Unless you’re there when it happened or you know the parties involved, you’re probably not going to know the truth fully.”

He also wanted people to take it upon themselves to be well-informed and not guided by emotion.

“Inform yourself first, so at least when you do go into a debate you can debate efficiently and effectively,” Willis said. “Most people are driven by their emotions, I’m not saying don’t have any, but don’t be driven alone by those.”

Lastly, he said this should be a wake-up call to everyone that one moment could change everything.

“You have to be vigilant in your responsibility as an individual, as a person, as an individual person walking around America,” Willis said. “One bad decision could change your entire life, everything about it, he made one bad decision and potentially could have ended up in prison.”

Overall, Willis said he hopes Kyle and his family can go on to have a normal life. To learn more about The Kajor Group, click here.