KENOSHA, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) — Protesters took to the streets Sunday evening after a 29-year-old Black man was shot multiple times in Kenosha.
According to the Kenosha Police Department, the man, identified as Jacob Blake, was taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee after being shot by police officers in the 2800 block of 40th Street. Officers originally responded to the scene for a reported domestic incident at 5:11 p.m., officials said.
As of Monday morning, Blake remains in serious condition. The involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.
The shooting, which appeared to be caught on video from across the street, sparked outrage. A flurry of social media activity poured in, the first from the Incident Response Facebook page.
Incident Response captures images and produces high quality multimedia content relating to public safety incidents and agencies.
After a night of unrest, many dispersed when police officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas.
Multiple garbage trucks were set on fire; They were up in flames for at least an hour. Small flames were burning in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse as well.
The County of Kenosha declared a state of Emergency Curfew for 10:15 p.m. Sunday, August 23. The public was required to be off the streets until 7 a.m. The county again declared an emergency curfew for August 24, from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Tuesday. The curfew is for those east of I-94.
A friend of Blake, Tony Davis, said he wants justice.
"I'm thinking about my friend, it's like, how many more am I going to lose?" Davis said. "How many more am I going to lose to injustice police, how many more am I going to lose to unlawful arrest, how many more am I going to lose?"
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who's also representing George Floyd's family, confirmed Blake’s three sons were in the backseat of the SUV where he was shot.
Gov. Tony Evers released a statement late Sunday saying, “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.
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. And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.
I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy, equally important is our action. In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.”
The Kenosha Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin State Patrol were immediately requested and took control of the scene. The incident will be investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, officials said.
“We need the Wisconsin Department of Justice to conduct a thorough, independent, exhaustive investigation into the officer-involved shooting in Kenosha," U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., said. "We must support each other and our Kenosha community, and we cannot allow violence and destruction."
Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden on Monday morning also weighed in on the incident, showing support for Blake's family:
"Yesterday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back as police attempted to restrain him from getting into his car. His children watched from inside the car and bystanders watched in disbelief. And this morning, the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force. This calls for an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable.
These shots pierce the soul of our nation. Jill and I pray for Jacob’s recovery and for his children.
Equal justice has not been real for Black Americans and so many others. We are at an inflection point. We must dismantle systemic racism. It is the urgent task before us. We must fight to honor the ideals laid in the original American promise, which we are yet to attain: That all men and women are created equal, but more importantly that they must be treated equally."
Additionally, Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, tweeted his thoughts on Blake Sunday evening.
This story is being updated with more information as it becomes available.