As another incident between a Black man and law enforcement ends in life-threatening injuries, the public is left looking for answers. That man is 29-year-old Jacob Blake. Jacob is now stable after surgery. Recent reports indicate he may be paralyzed from the waist down.
Jacob was shot multiple times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in broad daylight. The circumstances around the shooting have not been confirmed. Witnesses say that Jacob was trying to break up a fight between two women when police arrived at the scene. They shot the father of three as he was getting into his parked vehicle, with his back turned to them. Witnesses captured the shooting on video.
Jacob is the father of six kids. Three of his kids — his sons, ages 3, 5, and 8 — were in the car at the time. The three boys witnessed their father being shot.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has launched an investigation. The two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave with further action pending investigation. In cities around the country, the protests against systemic racism and police brutality added another name to those they seek justice for.
On Sunday night, a new video hit the internet that sent shock waves and sorrow through society. The video showed police engaging with an unarmed Black man. When they were close enough to physically restrain him, the officers unloaded several shots into the man's back.
The context makes the situation all the more horrifying. According to witnesses, 29-year-old Jacob Blake was breaking up a fight between two women when police arrived at the scene. It's unclear how they became engaged with Jacob, but the officers are shown trying to grab Jacob by the back of his shirt as he tries to enter the gray SUV. Inside were three of his six children, his sons ages 3, 5, and 8.
"We all watched the horrific video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back several times by Kenosha police," attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the family of George Floyd and will now represent the Blake family, said in a news release.
"Even worse, his three sons witnessed their father collapse after being riddled with bullets. It's a miracle he's still alive."
The witness who captured the video said police officers yelled at Jacob to drop a knife. As the witness and, later, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers noted, there is no indication in the video that Jacob was armed with a knife or anything else.
The governor went on to condemn the incident, saying that while all the details of the incident weren't clear at the time, "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."
Jacob went into surgery that evening and was stabilized as of Monday. According to his father, also named Jacob Blake, officers unloaded eight shots into his son. He is currently paralyzed from the waist down, although it is unknown if that paralysis will be permanent.
"At this point, we're still waiting for the facts to be confirmed," Ben Crump told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"But we know what we saw in that video, and it was clearly an excessive use of force that was shocking and outrageous and devastating and nobody's more devastated than his three sons."
"You can only imagine the psychological problems these babies are going to have for the rest of their lives."
Jacob's family has started a GoFundMe campaign for his legal and medical expenses in the fight ahead. The fundraiser amassed over $700,000 in less than 24 hours.
"As we fight for Justice and understanding, our family has and will face many trials during this time. Jacob Blake is a loving father of 6 that deserves proper medical attention and legal representation," the fundraiser reads.
"We are looking to raise funds to supplement the moral support and prayers we have been receiving. These funds will go toward Jacob's medical bills, family expenses, legal representation, support for his children, and therapy costs."
The police officers involved in the shooting have been put on administrative leave pending an investigation, as protocol dictates. Pete Deates, president of the Kenosha police union, is defending his officers at this time.
"As always, the video currently circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident," he said in a statement.
Justin Blake, Jacob's uncle, spoke to CNN about how seeing the video of his nephew being shot "literally took my breath away."
"You're looking at somebody you know, love, trust, and respect and are proud of, but you can't help them," he said.
"You sort of have to remove yourself in order to maintain your sanity."
Like many members of his family, Justin is concerned about the road ahead for Jacob's three boys who witnessed the shooting.
"If you can only imagine seeing your father, your loved one, shot by those who are supposed to protect your community, protect you, has to be a God-awful thing to live with," he said.
He explained that the family is continuing to pray for progress in Jacob's recovery.
"Thank God he's alive," Justin said.
"We're just praying for a great recovery, that he may have a great quality of life and that his father, my brother can enjoy him."
Justin says that Jacob is a hardworking man who has always provided for his family and given back to his community through volunteer work.
Justin is also feeling for Jacob's mother, who has been devastated by the incident and the spread of the footage.
"Anything like this will shock the [expletive] out of anybody, to see your son in that situation," Justin said.
"This, like all the Black parents talk about, is that phone call you don't want to get. And we got it."
Justin says that the family supports those across the country who have protested Jacob's shooting and the deaths of unarmed Black people at the hands of law enforcement that have marked summer 2020 in America. That said, the family wants all the protests to remain peaceful.
"We want justice and we're going to get justice," Justin said.
"We're going to demand justice, but we're going to do that without tearing up our own communities."
