At the end of the summer last year, following mass demonstrations across the country regarding racialized police violence, another tragic instance of brutality occurred again in Kenosha, Wisconsin. On August 24th, Kenosha police officers shot 29-year-old unarmed Black man Jacob Blake six times in front of his children.
Blake was said to have been breaking up a verbal altercation between two women, and footage of the horrific incident shows him walking away from police before he was shot six times in the back. Rusten Sheskey, the officer who opened fire, was able to return to work this month, resulting in protests calling for his immediate dismissal. Justin Blake, the uncle of the victim, was among the many individuals arrested during the demonstration.
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The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department said Monday (April 26) that three protestors were taken into custody during the protest, which occurred Sunday (April 25). The department reports Justin Blake, along with two other individuals, were arrested for what they claim was “disorderly conduct.” Justin was also charged with obstructing an officer.
All three individuals arrested were booked into the Kenosha County Jail after being placed in a transport van. By Monday afternoon, all three had posted bond and were no longer in police custody.
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Back in January, Kenosha DA Michael Graveley suggested “self-defense” in explaining why no charges would be pursued against Sheskey for shooting Blake. In March, a federal civil rights lawsuit was eventually filed on behalf of Blake against the accused officer.
“While Jacob Blake survived being shot six times, his devastating injuries are permanent and life-changing,” said one of the lawyers involved during a news release detailing the lawsuit. “The bullet that severed Jacob’s spinal cord has left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Jacob now suffers from an intractable pain syndrome. After various surgical procedures and an agonizing course of physical rehabilitation, Jacob remains unable to return to his job as a security guard and relies on others to assist him with the basic needs of daily living.”
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Hopefully, there will be justice for Jacob Blake.
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