An unarmed black man was shot in the back seven times by a white police officer in front of his children home after Wisconsin cops were called to the scene due to a domestic dispute as shocking video of the incident has ignited outrage.
Rioting and protests erupted in the wake of the shooting as the County of Kenosha declared a state of emergency and a curfew has been put into effect by authorities until 7am on Monday.
The black man, who has been identified as 29-year-old Jacob Blake, was hospitalized in serious condition following the police shooting in Kenosha that prompted neighbors and crowds to gather and confront officers at the scene on Sunday night.
The shooting prompted Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers to issue a statement denouncing ‘excessive use of force’ by police. As video of the shooting quickly went viral, protesters took to the streets of Kenosha, where police are on high alert.
Video posted to social media shows a large crowd numbering hundreds of protesters gathered outside a Kenosha police station chanting ‘Black Lives Matter’ and other slogans denouncing law enforcement.
Witnesses reported that at least three police officers had their guns drawn as Jacob Blake (seen above in the white t-shirt) was walking away from them in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday
Blake is seen above continuing toward his SUV, where his children were reported to be inside the vehicle
Blake was airlifted to a Milwaukee hospital, where he is listed in serious condition.
The shooting happened at around 5pm as officers were responding to a ‘domestic incident,’ the Kenosha Police Department said in a news release.
Police did not provide details about what led to the shooting, but said the person was transported to a hospital in Milwaukee for treatment.
In a video posted on social media Sunday that appeared to show the shooting from across the street, three officers could be seen shouting and pointing their weapons at Blake, who walked around the front of an SUV parked on the street.
As Blake opened the driver’s side door and leaned inside, one officer grabbed his shirt from behind and then fired into the vehicle.
At least seven shots could be heard, though it was unclear if more than one officer fired.
Local reports indicate that Blake’s children were inside the SUV and watched as their father was gunned down.
The image above shows the moment a Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer fired at least seven shots into the back of Jacob Blake as he was getting into an SUV in a residential neighborhood.
Several witnesses said that Blake tried to break up a fight between two women outside a nearby home, according to Kenosha News.
Before resorting to gunfire, the police attempted to subdue Blake with a Taser, to no avail, it was reported.
Benjamin Crump, a civil rights attorney, shared video of the incident on his Twitter feed. He noted that the shooting took place right in front of Blake’s three children.
‘They saw a cop shoot their father,’ Crump tweeted.
‘They will be traumatized forever. We cannot let officers violate their duty to PROTECT us. Our kids deserve better!!’
Crump is the attorney who represents the family of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police in late May.
Floyd’s death ignited massive nationwide protests and rioting as millions took to the streets over the course of several weeks to demand the police officers responsible be tried and convicted.
Following the shooting, neighbors could be seen gathering in the streets and hurling comments at police. Some could be heard chanting, ‘No justice, no peace.’
