Jacob Blake Shot Multiple Times In The Back By Kenosha Police Officer Rusten T. Sheskey Ignites Unrest

Hundreds of people took control of the downtown streets and protested in front of the Kenosha Police Department after a police officer shot a 29-year-old African-American man in the back at least 7-8 times, which a person across the street video recorded the incident.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

August 24, 2020

Kenosha, WI - On Sunday, around 5:11 p.m., Jacob Blake, 29, was shot at least 7-8 times in the back by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten T. Sheskey, 31, as he was returning to his vehicle. Officer Sheskey is White. The shooting incident was caught on video by a witness across the street and posted it on Facebook.

According to witnesses, Blake was breaking up an altercation between two women and then he was shot multiple times by Officer Sheskey as his children watched.

At the time of the shooting incident, police had no information about Blake, according to the attorney representing the Blake family.

Blake was flown by Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee where he was being treated for his injuries. Blake is still alive, but in critical condition in the ICU in Froedtert Hospital. It has been reported that Blake is now paralyzed from the waste down due to his injuries and it is not known, if it will be a permanent condition.

Shortly after the shooting was reported, people took to the streets and began to protest in front of the Kenosha Police Department. The Kenosha SWAT than shot tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters who than reacted and began to throw rocks (bricks) at officers. The protesters set small fires to the Kenosha County Courthouse and broke most of the windows including the windows at the police department.

Police and Kenosha County Sheriff's deputies were deployed to disperse hundreds of protesters. Multiple Kenosha garbage trucks used to block streets to the Courthouse were set on fire or were ignited by police teargas canisters and the windows were smashed. The Car Source dealership suffered a total loss after all the used vehicles in the parking lot were set on fire.

Officer Sheskey was sworned in as a Kenosha police officer on April 1, 2013. Two other Kenosha Police Officers with Sheskey at the time of the Blake shooting were Officers Vincent Arenas and Brittney Meronek who have been placed on administrative duty  along with Sheskey pending the outcome of the case.