Jacob Blake Shooting Sparks Protests in Wisconsin

The father, shot multiple times by police, is in serious condition

A global call for anti-Black racism has not stopped a summer wave of police violence against unarmed Black men.

Jacob Blake was shot seven times by police as he attempted to enter his SUV after breaking up a fight early Sunday evening. The incident happened in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake’s three sons were among the witnesses of the shooting, according to attorney Benjamin Crump and the American Civil Liberties Union.

A video of the shooting has circulated over 700,000 views on social media and sparked a night of protests throughout Kenosha County. The 29-year-old father had attempted to break up a fight between two women. He was shot several times in the back, as his young sons watched.

A state of emergency was issued in Kenosha, as well as an overnight curfew.

The two Kenosha officers involved in the shooting are on leave while an investigation is underway. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers condemned the “excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites” in a statement.

This story is still developing.