MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- The Wisconsin Department of Justice early Friday identified the other two Kenosha officers present during the shooting that left Jacob Blake paralyzed.
Kenosha Police Officer Vincent Arenas also deployed his taser, but that taser was also not successful in stopping Blake. Arenas has served with Kenosha Police Department since February 2019, with prior service with the United States Capitol Police Department.
Kenosha Police Officer Brittany Meronek, who joined Kenosha Police Department in January of this year, was also at the scene when the shooting happened, the Wisconsin DOJ confirms.
The officer involved in shooting Jacob Blake in the back several times was identified Wednesday afternoon during a news conference where officials also described what led up to the incident.
Kenosha Police Department officers were called to a home in the 2800 block of 40th Street Sunday after a woman called and said her boyfriend was there and was not supposed to be on the premises, officials said.
During the incident, officers tried to arrest the 29-year-old and deployed a taser to try and stop Blake, but it wasn't successful, officials said.
Officials said Blake walked around his vehicle, opened the driver’s side door, and leaned forward. While holding onto Blake’s shirt, Officer Rusten Sheskey fired his service weapon seven times. Sheskey fired the weapon into Blake’s back. No other officer fired their weapon.
Law enforcement immediately provided medical aid to Blake and he was flown to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, where he remains.
Kenosha Police Department does not have body cameras, so officers were not wearing body cameras, officials confirmed.
Sheskey is a seven-year veteran with the Kenosha Police Department.
During the investigation following the initial incident, Blake admitted that he had a knife in his possession, officials said.
Agents with Wisconsin DOJ's Division of Criminal Investigation recovered a knife from the driver’s side floorboard of Blake’s vehicle. No other weapons were found.
DOJ is leading the investigation with help from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. All involved law enforcement is fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation. The involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.
DCI is continuing to review the evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to a prosecutor following a complete and thorough investigation.
DOJ officials said they aim to provide a report to the prosecutor within 30 days, who will then review and determine what charges, if any, are appropriate. If the prosecutor determines there is no basis for the prosecution of the law enforcement officer, DCI will thereafter make the report available to the public.