Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot a man in front of his children on Sunday, sparking protests in the city.
The man, identified as Jacob Blake, was transported to the Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee and is in serious condition, the Kenosha Police Department said in a statement, which also noted the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident and the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.
Police said they responded to a call about a potential domestic disturbance. Video posted to social media, appearing to show the shooting, showed a black man, believed to be Blake, walking from the passenger side of the car around the hood with officers following him as their guns were drawn.
The man opened the driver door and starts to move inside the car, after which the officers then start firing their guns. Seven shots can be heard in the video. It is unclear if there was a weapon in the vehicle. The video does not show what happened before the man walked away from the officers.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers released a statement identifying the victim as Blake and noting he is another black person who was shot by police.
Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) August 24, 2020
“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries. 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 Democrat said in a statement.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who has worked alongside a number of families who have had loved ones injured by police officers in recent months, told CNN that Blake’s family contacted him. Crump also said that Blake’s young sons were in the car when he was shot.
“We stand with all those who have and continue to demand justice, equity, and accountability for Black lives in our country — lives like those of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Dontre Hamilton, Ernest Lacy, and Sylville Smith,” Evers said, before adding that he “stand[s] against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.”
Protesters turned out to the scene of the shooting later that evening.
Officers were deployed to the scene to control the crowd. Some of the protesters set garbage trucks on fire, smashed windows, and threw bleach bombs, according to ABC7. Law enforcement officials used tear gas and pepper balls to subdue protesters and implemented a curfew.
