US police shooting of another black man ignites more protests
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New York — Police shot a black man in the back multiple times in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as his three sons watched on Sunday, his family's lawyer said, sparking a night of unrest during which protesters hurled firebombs and bricks at police.
The victim, Jacob Blake, was taken to a hospital in serious condition after the shooting on Sunday afternoon. Blake's father told NBC News on Monday that his son was out of surgery and in stable condition.
A video circulating on social media showed Blake walking towards the driver's side of a gray SUV followed by two officers with their guns drawn at his back. Seven gunshot sounds can be heard as Blake, who appears to be unarmed, opens the car door.
It was unknown whether the officers saw something inside the vehicle to justify deadly force. It was also not clear whether one or both officers fired their weapons.
Crowds gathered at the scene, set fires and threw bricks and Molotov cocktails at police, prompting authorities to impose a curfew. On Monday morning Kenosha County announced on Twitter that its court and administration building would be closed due to damage from the night's unrest.
The incident occurred three months after the death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis police custody, that sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and structural racism in the US.
Former vice-president Joe Biden, the Democrat seeking to defeat President Donald Trump in the November 3 election, on Monday called for the officers to be held accountable and for the dismantling of systemic racism.
Social media posts showed crowds marching on Sunday evening down streets in Kenosha, a city of about 100,000 people on Lake Michigan about 100km north of Chicago.
More protests were planned for Monday.
The shooting occurred about 5pm as officers were responding to what they termed a “domestic incident”. The victim was immediately taken to a hospital by the police, according to a Kenosha police department statement. No further explanation was given by the police as to what led to the shooting.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said he had been retained by the Blake family and who has represented George Floyd's family, said in a statement that Blake had been trying to de-escalate a domestic incident when the officers first shot him with a taser gun.
Reuters
The victim, Jacob Blake, was taken to a hospital in serious condition after the shooting on Sunday afternoon. Blake's father told NBC News on Monday that his son was out of surgery and in stable condition.
A video circulating on social media showed Blake walking towards the driver's side of a gray SUV followed by two officers with their guns drawn at his back. Seven gunshot sounds can be heard as Blake, who appears to be unarmed, opens the car door.
It was unknown whether the officers saw something inside the vehicle to justify deadly force. It was also not clear whether one or both officers fired their weapons.
Crowds gathered at the scene, set fires and threw bricks and Molotov cocktails at police, prompting authorities to impose a curfew. On Monday morning Kenosha County announced on Twitter that its court and administration building would be closed due to damage from the night's unrest.
The incident occurred three months after the death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis police custody, that sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and structural racism in the US.
Former vice-president Joe Biden, the Democrat seeking to defeat President Donald Trump in the November 3 election, on Monday called for the officers to be held accountable and for the dismantling of systemic racism.
Social media posts showed crowds marching on Sunday evening down streets in Kenosha, a city of about 100,000 people on Lake Michigan about 100km north of Chicago.
More protests were planned for Monday.
The shooting occurred about 5pm as officers were responding to what they termed a “domestic incident”. The victim was immediately taken to a hospital by the police, according to a Kenosha police department statement. No further explanation was given by the police as to what led to the shooting.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said he had been retained by the Blake family and who has represented George Floyd's family, said in a statement that Blake had been trying to de-escalate a domestic incident when the officers first shot him with a taser gun.
Reuters
