Protests erupted in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after a graphic video captured a white police officer shooting a Black man after responding to a domestic incident, BBC News reports.
- The man, Jacob Blake, was sent to a hospital for surgery. He remains in intensive care.
- The graphic video of the shooting shows Blake shot in the back several times when he tries to enter his car in Wisconsin. He was shot at least seven times, The Washington Post reports.
- According to Kenosha News, Blake was shot in front of his children.
- Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney, said Blake’s sons were in the car at the time of the shooting.
Why it matters:
- The Washington Post said: “It’s the latest case of police violence caught on camera in a summer overwhelmed by escalating rounds of protests following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.”
Reaction:
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers called for better police accountability for the incident.
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. — Gov. Evers
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.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) August 24, 2020
- The state Department of Justice said Division of Criminal Investigation will lead an investigation into the shooting, according to The New York Times.
- The officers have been put on administrative leave.
Protests:
- Protests prompted authorities to call an emergency curfew Sunday night. Hundreds of people marched in the streets. Vehicles were set ablaze, CBS News reports.