Outrage grows as video emerges of Wisconsin police shooting black man Jacob Blake in the back

A video has emerged appearing to show the moment black man Jacob Blake was shot in the back by police at close range in front of his children.

This video appears to show the moments just before Jacob Bloke was shot (SBS)

This video appears to show the moments just before Jacob Bloke was shot (SBS) Source: SBS

A video showing Wisconsin police shooting a black man in the back in front of his children sparked outrage across the United States on Monday, with officials calling in the national guard as they girded for a second night of violent protests.

Jacob Blake was airlifted to hospital after he was shot in the back several times by police in the US city of Wisconsin. 

Police said the shooting occurred when they were responding to a domestic incident at about 5:11 pm.
Mobile phone footage of the incident shows Mr Blake, 29, followed by two police officers with guns drawn as he goes around the front of a grey SUV.

As he opens the door and tries to get into the driver's seat one of the officers pulls on his T-shirt and he appears to be shot repeatedly in the back.

Some witnesses have said Mr Blake had tried to break up a fight.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Mr Blake's three sons were in the car at the time and he had been trying to break up a fight between two women.

"They saw a cop shoot their father. They will be traumatised forever," Crump said on Twitter.

Mr Crump also represents the family of George Floyd, a black man who died on May 25 when a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

"We will seek justice for Jacob Blake and for his family as we demand answers from the Kenosha Police Department," Mr Crump said in a statement.
Kenosha County, on the shores of Lake Michigan, declared a "state of emergency curfew" from 8.00 pm until 7.00 am, as angry citizens planned demonstrations.

"The public needs to be off the streets for their safety," the county sheriff said in a statement.

Calls for accountability

US Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is calling for "an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable.”

"Yesterday, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by police," Mr Biden said.

"His kids watched from the car.

"Today, we woke to grieve yet again. We need a full and transparent investigation."


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2 min read
Published 25 August 2020 7:52am
Updated 25 August 2020 7:54am
Source: AFP, SBS


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