Kenosha, Wisconsin Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and other officers will not face charges in the shooting of Jacob Blake in the summer of 2020.
KENOSHA, Wis. (WLS) — Kenosha, Wisconsin is preparing for more unrest after prosecutors said no charges will be filed in the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers over the summer. Blake was shot several times in the back on August 23. The shooting left him paralyzed from the waist down and led to violent protests, riots and looting. The officer involved in the shooting, identified by authorities as Officer Rusten Sheskey, nor any other officers, nor Blake himself will face any charges, officials said Tuesday afternoon. Kenosha District Attorney Michael Gravely held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to address in detail the circumstances of the shooting, Wisconsin law and why he decided not to charge the officers. He and former Madison police chief Noble Wrap, who was appointed to review the case, spent two hours explaining in detail why they chose to decline charges. Gravely offered new details about the incident, saying the mother of his children, Laquisha Booker, called 911 to report Blake took the keys to her rental car and was planning to take off with the vehicle and their children. He played the audio of that 911 call for the press. In addition, Gravely went into more detail about Blake’s arrest warrant prior to the shooting, and confirmed Blake was armed with a knife at the time of the shooting. He said Blake himself admitted he possessed the knife when he was interviewed for the shooting investigation. Wray, who was also the use of force expert in the investigation, said the officers’ actions that day were in line with police training and protocol.»They did not have any choice, drawing the firearms after the physical measures did not work,» Wray said. Sheskey and the other officers who were at the scene have been placed on administrative leave. In Kenosha, Blake’s family was heartbroken and furious.»This is a slap in the face by the Wisconsin government and DA perpetuating systemic racism. Where was justice?» said Justin Blake, Jacob’s uncle. They’ve marched for months, demanding charges be filed, but it didn’t happen it.»We’re unhappy with what was said today. We expected it, it did not sideswipe us or jump us from the backside. We understood what was gonna come when they called in the National Guard,» said Jacob Blake, Sr.
