Another incident involving the police shooting an African American has led to riots in a Wisconsin city, this time in Kenosha. But instead of calling for demonstrations to remain peaceful, Governor Tony Evers issued a statement on Sunday attacking police.
“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries,” Evers said in his statement. “While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.”
Blake was shot seven times by Kenosha police in an incident caught on video. In the amateur video, Blake appears to be ignoring the orders of the police and attempts to get into his car when he was shot. It is unknown at this time if police believe he was armed or if they believed that Blake was reaching for a weapon in the vehicle. Blake was transported to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee and, according to published reports, is in serious condition.
Despite not having the details, as the governor admitted, it did not prevent Evers from putting Blake in the same category as others who were possible victims of excessive force by police. “And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites,” Evers said, despite having no direct knowledge of the situation.
Evers’ statement was issued as rioters were attacking Kenosha police with what witnesses described as rocks, bottles, and even a Molotov cocktail. Police cars have been damaged and at least one police officer was seen on video being knocked to the ground by a brick thrown at his head.
A curfew in Kenosha was declared until 7:00 AM to try to end the violence on Kenosha’s streets.
Nowhere in Evers’ statement does he call for nonviolence or calm while the state Department of Justice, under fellow Democrat Attorney General Josh Kaul, investigates the shooting. Evers’ statement also does not comment if he lacks faith in the ability of Kaul’s Justice Department to properly investigate the shooting.
Meanwhile, rioting has broken out in Madison, too. It is unclear if the governor will take steps to protect the Capitol. However, Dylan Brogan of Isthmus is already reporting on the city police’s lack of a response to broken windows (again) on State Street.
Evers’ full statement regarding the shooting in Kenosha is below:
Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries. While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.
We stand with all those who have and continue to demand justice, equity, and accountability for Black lives in our country—lives like those of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Dontre Hamilton, Ernest Lacy, and Sylville Smith. And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.
I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy, equally important is our action. In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.
