Kenosha police shot a man Sunday evening, setting off unrest in the city after a video appeared to show the officer firing several shots at close range into the man's back.
The shooting victim has been identified as Jacob Blake, a Black man, by Wisconsin officials. He was in serious condition at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee as of early Monday morning.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation said early Monday that the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.
Police had been called to a domestic incident in the 2800 block of 40th Street at 5:11 p.m. where the shooting later occurred.
Officers provided immediate aid to the shooting victim, Kenosha police reported, and he was taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert.
“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement. "While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country."
The Kenosha News reported that neighbors said Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women. Bystanders said he was Tased and then shot several times.
A video circulating on social media shows a man in a white shirt and black shorts walking to a gray van, followed by two male police officers with weapons drawn. The video does not show what happened before the man walked away from the officers, nor what was said, if anything.
As the man opens the door to get in, an officer grabs his shirt to hold him still, then appears to shoot him in the back at close range. Seven shots are heard, followed by a car horn, presumably from the man's head falling forward. A woman who followed behind the police can be seen screaming and jumping up and down.
Kenosha police requested Wisconsin State Patrol and Kenosha County Sheriff's deputies come to the scene because the shooting involved an officer.
The Division of Criminal Investigation said in a news release early Monday morning that it will try to provide a report of the incident to the prosector within 30 days.
"DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to a prosecutor following a complete and thorough investigation," the release said.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump shared a video from the incident on Twitter. He also said Blake's three sons were in the car when Blake was shot.
"They saw a cop shoot their father," Crump tweeted. "They will be traumatized forever. We cannot let officers violate their duty to PROTECT us. Our kids deserve better!!"
Crump represents the family of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the knee of a fired Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. He also is backing the family of Joel Acevedo, who died after being put into a chokehold by an off-duty Milwaukee police officer at a party.
Large crowds soon gathered at the scene of the shooting. A livestream from podcaster Koerri Elijah showed small fires in the street and a person, possibly an officer, lying prone on the ground, surrounded by officers.
The crowds began moving away from the scene, and the video showed people walking down the sidewalk and street, some on bicycles with some vehicles accompanying them, occasionally chanting. The video showed people kicking at police vehicles and later it appeared some fireworks were set off.
"Things have been very heated, tons of damage to cop cars, an officer was actually knocked out," the person taking video said.
A crowd of about 100 had reached the Kenosha County Public Safety Building by 10:15 p.m. and were chanting "no justice, no peace."
A couple hundred people gather outside the Kenosha police station Aug. 23, 2020, after police shot Jacob Blake.
A line of police flanked the building and faced off with the crowd, moving them back away from the building.
The County of Kenosha declared a state of Emergency Curfew for 10:15 p.m., saying "the public needs to be off the streets for their safety." It will be enforced until 7 a.m.
At 11:05 police began backing up in a cordon around the front doors of the police station and then set off teargas canisters as people ran in fear, trying to wipe their eyes.
At 11:15 p.m., a city dump truck that had been positioned to prevent traffic from heading toward the police department was fully engulfed in fire. Some people were getting close to take pictures until someone shouted that the gas tank could blow.
A big boom sounded when one of the tires blew up around 11:45, scattering the crowd.
The crowd had lessened by midnight to a couple hundred people who stood in the square next to the courthouse watching city dump trucks become engulfed in flames.
At 12:21 a.m., a few hundred people could be seen milling around the courthouse, which was tagged with graffiti condemning the shooting and police.
Someone set a fire outside the courthouse.
Officers later arrived at the courthouse to put the fire out; soon after, officers also began firing what appeared to be tear gas canisters.
Protesters then began smashing windows at the administration building near the courthouse. Officers formed a line behind a police vehicle and continued to deploy what appeared to be tear gas or smoke bombs.
Shortly before 1 a.m., police were asking for voluntary cooperation to disperse the area and leave the park.
"This is an unlawful assembly. Please leave the area," police could be heard telling the crowd as gas canisters were fired their way.
At 1:21, police formed a riot line and began moving into the park across the street from the courthouse.
The shooting victim has been identified as Jacob Blake, a Black man, by Wisconsin officials. He was in serious condition at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee as of early Monday morning.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation said early Monday that the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.
Police had been called to a domestic incident in the 2800 block of 40th Street at 5:11 p.m. where the shooting later occurred.
Officers provided immediate aid to the shooting victim, Kenosha police reported, and he was taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert.
“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement. "While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country."
The Kenosha News reported that neighbors said Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women. Bystanders said he was Tased and then shot several times.
A video circulating on social media shows a man in a white shirt and black shorts walking to a gray van, followed by two male police officers with weapons drawn. The video does not show what happened before the man walked away from the officers, nor what was said, if anything.
As the man opens the door to get in, an officer grabs his shirt to hold him still, then appears to shoot him in the back at close range. Seven shots are heard, followed by a car horn, presumably from the man's head falling forward. A woman who followed behind the police can be seen screaming and jumping up and down.
Kenosha police requested Wisconsin State Patrol and Kenosha County Sheriff's deputies come to the scene because the shooting involved an officer.
The Division of Criminal Investigation said in a news release early Monday morning that it will try to provide a report of the incident to the prosector within 30 days.
"DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to a prosecutor following a complete and thorough investigation," the release said.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump shared a video from the incident on Twitter. He also said Blake's three sons were in the car when Blake was shot.
"They saw a cop shoot their father," Crump tweeted. "They will be traumatized forever. We cannot let officers violate their duty to PROTECT us. Our kids deserve better!!"
Crump represents the family of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the knee of a fired Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. He also is backing the family of Joel Acevedo, who died after being put into a chokehold by an off-duty Milwaukee police officer at a party.
Large crowds soon gathered at the scene of the shooting. A livestream from podcaster Koerri Elijah showed small fires in the street and a person, possibly an officer, lying prone on the ground, surrounded by officers.
The crowds began moving away from the scene, and the video showed people walking down the sidewalk and street, some on bicycles with some vehicles accompanying them, occasionally chanting. The video showed people kicking at police vehicles and later it appeared some fireworks were set off.
"Things have been very heated, tons of damage to cop cars, an officer was actually knocked out," the person taking video said.
A crowd of about 100 had reached the Kenosha County Public Safety Building by 10:15 p.m. and were chanting "no justice, no peace."
A couple hundred people gather outside the Kenosha police station Aug. 23, 2020, after police shot Jacob Blake.
A line of police flanked the building and faced off with the crowd, moving them back away from the building.
The County of Kenosha declared a state of Emergency Curfew for 10:15 p.m., saying "the public needs to be off the streets for their safety." It will be enforced until 7 a.m.
At 11:05 police began backing up in a cordon around the front doors of the police station and then set off teargas canisters as people ran in fear, trying to wipe their eyes.
At 11:15 p.m., a city dump truck that had been positioned to prevent traffic from heading toward the police department was fully engulfed in fire. Some people were getting close to take pictures until someone shouted that the gas tank could blow.
A big boom sounded when one of the tires blew up around 11:45, scattering the crowd.
The crowd had lessened by midnight to a couple hundred people who stood in the square next to the courthouse watching city dump trucks become engulfed in flames.
At 12:21 a.m., a few hundred people could be seen milling around the courthouse, which was tagged with graffiti condemning the shooting and police.
Someone set a fire outside the courthouse.
Officers later arrived at the courthouse to put the fire out; soon after, officers also began firing what appeared to be tear gas canisters.
Protesters then began smashing windows at the administration building near the courthouse. Officers formed a line behind a police vehicle and continued to deploy what appeared to be tear gas or smoke bombs.
Shortly before 1 a.m., police were asking for voluntary cooperation to disperse the area and leave the park.
"This is an unlawful assembly. Please leave the area," police could be heard telling the crowd as gas canisters were fired their way.
At 1:21, police formed a riot line and began moving into the park across the street from the courthouse.
Graphic Video Warning
…In what world can you justify holding someone still, and then shooting them in the back 7 times?
Obligatory mod question: How will this fit into the greater BLM movement?
Update: The DOJ is now getting involved.
Update: 2 are dead, 1 more injured after a shooting during the protests/riots.
Jacob Blake himself seems to be paralyzed from the waist down.
Jacob Blake admitted to the officers that he had a knife inside his car during the investigation.
