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Update (26/08/20) - Blake is recovering in hospital. Family say he will be paralysed from the waist down.
Elizabeth Bratton writes about the shooting of Jacob Blake: a young father who was reportedly trying to settle a dispute. He was shot in the back seven times in Wisconsin, after backing away from police and entering a vehicle. His three sons were in the car when their father was shot. Kenoshan authorities claim they were responding to "a domestic incident". Blake has undergone surgery, and is now recovering in ICU.
On Sunday the 23rd of August, 29-year-old Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake had reportedly been intervening in a dispute between two women, when police began chasing him, "shouting and pointing their weapons." In video footage, Blake is seen to slowly walk around the front of a parked SUV and open the side door, before on officer grabs his clothes. He was then shot in the back seven times, although it is currently unclear how many officers discharged their firearm.
Said footage has quickly circulated around the internet. Despite state police trying to verify its legitimacy, the Wisconsin Department for Justice did not immediately respond to questions, and is still investigating the incident. The Kenosha Police Department initially claimed they were responding to a "domestic" incident.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, while Tony Evers - the Wisconsin state governor - tweeted: "We stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites." The state division of criminal investigation is “looking into” the incident, and will provide the prosecutor with an incident report in 30 days.
Laquisha Booke, Blake’s partner, said his three sons were “screaming” in the back of the car as the shooting unfolded. Booke also claims her fiancé was unarmed, while a friend believes it was one of the sons' birthdays. Ben Crump, the civil-rights attorney representing Blake's family, tweeted: "Confirmed: Jacob Blake’s 3 SONS were IN THE CAR he was getting into when @KenoshaPolice shot him tonight. They saw a cop shoot their father. They will be traumatized forever. We cannot let officers violate their duty to PROTECT us. Our kids deserve better!! #JusticeForJacobBlake"
Blake was taken to a Milwaukee hospital. Upon arrival, the father-of-three was in a "serious condition"; Blake later underwent surgery, and was placed in the ICU. On Facebook, his father announced that his son was alive and stable. A family friend confirmed that Blake was expected to “make it”.
In a statement on Monday, Crump said it was a "miracle" that Blake was still alive. He described the video as "horrific", and stated: "his three sons witnessed their father collapse after being riddled with bullets. Their irresponsible, reckless, and inhumane actions nearly cost the life of a man who was simply trying to do the right thing by intervening in a domestic incident."
Crump has been described as "the go-to attorney for racial justice": he represents the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, and George Floyd. Referring to violence towards Black Americans, he has previously said "I’m not stunned that this is happening in 2020. It takes extraordinary effort in America for Black people to get simple justice."
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has condemned the police's actions, and demanded "an immediate, full and transparent investigation" to hold officers accountable. He issued a statement which read: "And this morning, the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force." He concluded, "These shots pierce the soul of our nation."
Neighbours immediately “confronted” officers at the scene, and the incident has triggered protests at a time where accusations of institutionalised racism and police brutality are already widespread. A citywide curfew has been enforced, and will last until 7am daily.
Hundreds gathered for protests on Sunday evening; vehicles were set alight and demonstrators chanted: “We won’t back down”. Police encouraged 24-hour businesses to close their doors, due to “numerous” calls about armed robbery and gunshots. Some activists reportedly threw Molotov cocktails and bricks at police, while officers used tear gas to disperse them. Cries of "no justice, no peace" could be heard throughout the night, while some police cars were allegedly damaged.
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