Wisconsin protests: Jacob Blake fights for his life in ICU after being shot by police seven times in the back as Trump remains silent on shooting
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NFL stars, politicians, and other prominent figures are reacting to the news of an unarmed black man being shot by Wisconsin police on Sunday evening.
Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha and now remains in the hospital in serious condition. His cousin confirmed on Twitter Monday that Mr Blake was out of surgery and recovering in the ICU.
Following the shooting, video surfaced from bystanders and caused outrage from NFL stars and other politicians. The footage showed officers following Mr Blake while he walked around his SUV and then reached into the driver's side of the vehicle. That was when officers shot him seven times in the back.
Mr Blake's three sons were reportedly in the vehicle at the time, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who now represents the Blake family, confirmed on Monday.
Donald Trump's son Donald Trump Jr reacted the shooting by sharing the victim's past arrest record on Twitter, which was unrelated to the Sunday evening incident. He also condemned the violent protests that took place in Wisconsin on Sunday night.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has called for a thorough investigation into the shooting of Mr Blake while stating it was time to "dismantle systemic racism" in police departments. The president has thus far not commented on the shooting.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced on Monday that he authorised the deployment of the state's National Guard to Kenosha. About 125 members are expected to get to the city by Monday evening.
The decision to call the National Guard comes after Sunday's protests about Mr Blake's shooting turned violent. Protesters set fire to local business and cars, smashed windows, and interacted with police in riot gear.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation will be leading the investigation into the shooting of Mr Blake by Kenosha Police Department officers. In a statement released on Monday, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Paul said his agency "will unwavering pursue justice" in the case.
Two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administration leave during the investigation.
Hello and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the protests in Wisconsin today.
Wisconsin erupts in protests over police shooting of black man
The police shooting of a reportedly unarmed black man, identified as Jacob Blake, has sparked protests in the US state of Wisconsin and led to the introduction of a curfew in the city of Kenosha.
Crowds gathered at the scene of the shooting on Sunday and some protesters threw bricks and Molotov cocktails at police, according to reports on social media.
Kenosha County declared a state of “emergency curfew” on Sunday night, which the Kenosha Sheriff's Department would enforce until 7am, following the protests.
More details on the story can be found below:
Injured man ‘still fighting for his life’, brother says
Jacob Blake - the man who was shot by police - is still “fighting for his life” after leaving surgery and he is in an intensive care unit, his brother has said, according to local news reporter Lauren Linder.
Ms Linder reported that Mr Blake’s mother had urged protesters to remain peaceful in Kenosha.
The full statement from Wisconsin governor Tony Evers, who has pledged to “stand against excessive use of force”, can be found below:
Kenosha Police Department’s statement on the shooting can be found below:
ABC News has some footage below from the protests in Kenosha, where police have used tear-gas against demonstrators.
Officers involved in shooting placed on adminstrative leave, Wisconsin DoJ says
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has said the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.
The state's Division of Criminal Investigation said it would aim to issue a report to prosecutors within 30 days, according to US media reports.
More footage from last night's protests can be found below:
Footage of the shooting has been circulating on social media since last night - below is a video showing the moments just before the man was shot multiple times:
A local Black Lives Matter activist has said black people in Kenosha are “tired” after Sunday’s police shooting of Jacob Blake.
“We're tired of it...We're tired of it,” Clyde McLemore, a man who local Kenosha TV identified as part of a nearby chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement, said at the scene.
“The frustration is boiling to the top and we're sick and tired.”
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