Protests erupted in Wisconsin overnight after a viral video showed police in Kenosha shooting a Black man multiple times in the back as he walked to his car.
The man was identified by Gov. Tony Evers as Jacob Blake, and it was revealed that he was airlifted to a Milwaukee hospital in serious condition. Evers reacted to the incident on Twitter, writing, "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 against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites."
Officers responded to a domestic issue on Sunday (August 23) night, and the video footage that was released only shows Blake walking to his car, reaching inside of the vehicle, and an officer tugging on his shirt. At least seven shots were fired, with the video cutting off shortly afterward.
The Wisconsin DOJ said the officers involved in the shooting had been placed on administrative leave. A statement also revealed that the state's Division of Criminal Investigation has started an investigation into the shooting and will seek to "provide a report of the incident to the prosecutor within 30 days."
