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Kenosha officer who shot Jacob Blake seven times in a shooting that sparked a nationwide firestorm will not face criminal charges, the Kenosha County District Attorney said Tuesday .
Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and other officers involved in the incident will not be charged in the August 2020 shooting after a month of the incident, which was filmed by passers-by, according to the Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley. Blake will also not face charges, Graveley added.
A federal investigation into civil rights charges is still ongoing.
“It’s very important to me that this conversation is a complicated conversation, that it is a real conversation, not a simplistic conversation,” Graveley said, explaining the decision.
Lawyer for the Blake family said they were “immensely disappointed” with the decision.
“We believe this decision failed not only Jacob and his family, but the community who protested and demanded justice,” attorney Ben Crump said in a statement. “Agent Sheskey’s actions sparked outrage and advocacy across the country, but the prosecutor’s decision not to charge the officer who repeatedly shot Jacob in the back, leaving him paralyzed, destroyed more confidence in our justice system. This sends the wrong message to police officers across the country. It is okay for the police to abuse their power and recklessly fire their guns, destroying the life of someone trying to protect their children. ” “
Graveley said his decision was “laser-focused” on what would be allowed in a jury trial.
“It means this case is about self defense and can it be proven that it doesn’t exist,” Graveley said. “This is from Officer Sheskey’s point of view. How familiar is each moment, and what is a reasonable officer doing at all times? The deeply disturbing video we have all seen answers virtually none of these things. . “
WARNING: The following video contains graphic content and may disturb some viewers. PLEASE NOTE: NBC 5 does not show the moment Jacob Blake is shot. Stage audio will continue to play while the video stops. A video posted on social media appears to show police officers in Kenosha shooting a black man on the back seven times …
During the shooting, Blake, who is black, was shot seven times in the back after walking away from Sheskey and two other officers who were trying to stop him. Blake was shot after opening the driver’s side door of an SUV and leaning into the vehicle, and the shot was captured on a cell phone.
Graveley and officials said Blake was armed with a knife at the time of the incident and Blake admitted to police he had a knife, which was later recovered from his vehicle.
“Jacob Blake admits he has a knife. It’s not a cell phone. He admits it,” Graveley said. “It’s a razor blade type knife, and we had an analyst from DCI take the shape and size to fit the picture, and actually it’s a match. We say with confidence. based on his admission, the officers say so and in the video, he is clearly armed with a knife as he approaches the driver’s door. “
The shooting left Blake paralyzed from the waist up and sparked days of protests and demonstrations and several nights of looting and vandalism.
Crump said the Blake family plan to pursue civil action.
“We urge Americans to continue to make their voices heard and to demand peaceful and positive change during this emotional time,” the statement read.
The city and county have been bracing for days ahead of the much-anticipated move, with activists and officials calling for peace and non-violent responses to the announcement.
Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian was granted emergency powers from Kenosha City Council on Monday as officials braced for expected unrest after the decision.
The mayor and the Kenosha Police Department have said they plan to institute curfews if necessary, designate demonstration spaces, limit city bus routes, close roads and enforce other security restrictions if necessary.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers also activated the state’s National Guard on Monday to provide assistance to local law enforcement in the event of unrest.
Activists have called on residents and protesters to avoid a repeat after the Blake decision, calling for non-violent protests.
“We want everyone to show up and be as loud as they want, but we don’t want property destruction,” activist Tanya McLean said. “We are for non-violence. Nothing else is acceptable to this community. “
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