Kenosha protests: Stars including Kevin Hart and Lebron James show support for Jacob Blake after police shooting that left him paralysed
Mr Blake is in the ICU recovering from his gun shot wounds
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Your support makes all the difference.Stars like Kevin Hart and Lebron James have joined the many voicing support for Jacob Blake after he was shot by Kenosha Police Department officers on Sunday evening.
Hart took to social media on Tuesday to express his frustration that, based on the video footage, officers chose to shoot Mr Blake instead of finding other ways to detain him during the altercation. James also gave his thoughts on the situation, saying, "We are scared as black people living in America".
Mr Blake's father, also named Jacob Blake, revealed on Tuesday morning that his son was paralysed from the waist down after he was shot by police seven times. The doctors don't yet know if the paralysis will be permanent. The 29-year-old man remains in the ICU as he recovers from his injuries.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is now representing Mr Blake and his family. Mr Crump already represents the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Trayford Pellerin – all of whom have died in altercations with police officers across the US.
In an interview, Mr Crump said they have no received any evidence to disprove that Mr Blake was unarmed during the altercation with police. Bystanders said they maybe heard police say Mr Blake had a knife, but no reports have yet indicated if that is true.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations is now investigating the shooting that occurred on Sunday evening. The two officers, who have not yet been identified, involved are reportedly cooperating with the investigation but have been placed on administrative leave.
Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley confirmed on Monday that the investigation into the shooting that took place on Sunday evening in Kenosha, Wisconsin was under investigation, but it was in its "early stages".
After the investigation is complete, all information will be handed over to the district attorney's office and they will file charges if warranted.
Protests have mounted in Kenosha following the shooting, with these protests often turning violent in the evenings. Local businesses have been looted and set on fire, and protesters have clashed with police in riot gear.
Two officers involved in Jacob Blake's shooting not yet identified
The two Kenosha Police Department officers who were involved in the shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday have not been identified.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice confirmed the officers were on leave but have not offered up any information into their identities. The officers are cooperating with the investigation, the department said.
Milwaukee County executive says Blake's wounds are a result of 'systemic racism'
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley had harsh words following the shooting of an unarmed black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
"At the end of the day, black people are not being recognised for being humans," Mr Crowley told. "The fact that we can't walk in the park, the fact that we can't barbecue in a park, the fact that we can't bird watch and continue to be harassed by individuals or by law enforcement, it is scary for us."
He added: "Blake's wounds are a result of systemic racism."
The shooting is still under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations. The two police officers involved are on administrative leave.
Eye witnesses said they heard police say that Mr Blake had a knife on him, but civil rights attorney Ben Crump has disputed those claims.
Mr Blake is currently in the ICU recovering from his gun shot wounds.
Kenosha local business to close down following looting
Gravity Gaming Lounge, a local business in Kenosha, Wisconsin, announced on its Facebook page that it would be shutting down after looters broke into the business.
"Everything in the store was taken and the place was destroyed. For a business that was struggling to get back to normal and pushing through these hard times we will not be able to come back from this," the business wrote on its Facebook page.
Businesses have been burned and looted the last couple nights in Kenosha following the shooting of Jacob Blake. His family has called for peace, but the protests have turned violent each evening and resulted in damage to property and local businesses.
Comedian Kevin Hart asks 'what is the justification' of Jacob Blake being shot by police
The comedian has become the latest to react to the news of Jacob Blake's shooting on Sunday evening.
In a series of tweets, Kevin Hart questioned the logic with the police officers to shoot Mr Blake instead of finding other ways to detain him.
In another tweet he adds: "What's the justification for 7 shots????? WHAT THE F**K IS GOING ON???? This shit is F**KING STUPID....My prayers go out to him & his family. How many times have we as black people had to tweet shit like this in this year alone????"
He went on to add that officers should be able to detain a man without having to fire their weapon.
"If you still don’t understand what 'Black Lives Matter' means and is about then you are blind and flat out ignorant to real problem," he wrote. "OUR LIVES MATTER....STOP F**KING KILLING US. STOP SHOOTING US....JUST F**KING STOP."
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