Violent protests have erupted in Wisconsin after police shot Jacob Blake, a black resident of Kenosha, as his three sons watched on.
Violent protests have swept across Wisconsin after police shot Jacob Blake, a black resident of Kenosha, as his three sons witnessed the brutal event.
The shooting, which occured on Sunday, was captured in a brief but heartbreaking video, and Blake remains in critical condition at a Milwaukee hospital.
The video, taken on a mobile phone from across the street, shows 29-year-old Blake walking towards his grey SUV, closely followed by two officers on foot.
Seven gunshot sounds can then be heard as Blake opens the car door, as his young sons sit in the car watching the ordeal unfold.
A man identified as a friend of Blake’s told local TV station WISN 12 that it was Blake’s son’s birthday, and his son was in the car when he was shot. “It could have been de-escalated,” the man said of the cops’ handling of the situation. “You see the video. He wasn’t a threat to nobody.”
Jacob Blake was shot seven times in front of his children and is fighting for his life. This demands a full investigation and accountability. There is an urgent need to reform policing and address the threat that systemic racism poses to Black Americans.
— Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) August 25, 2020
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is currently investigating the incident, and all the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
The community response to the video has mirrored the events following the brutal killing of George Floyd, with social media spotlighting the crowds of people marching down streets of Kenosha, throwing Molotov cocktails and bricks at police officers.
This is Jacob Blake. His fiancé shared these photos with us. He’s 29 and a father of three. His fiancé says he is a security guard. pic.twitter.com/IxaK9DUaYc
— Stephanie Haines (@TMJ4Stephanie) August 24, 2020
Multiple vehicle fires were set and windows smashed along city thoroughfares, as crowds faced off with law enforcement in riot gear.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has said Mr Blake’s family asked that the demonstrations remain peaceful, with the belief that “violence” is not the “solution”.
https://twitter.com/OsopePatrisse/status/1297920051119419399
