Third night of violence in Kenosha amid State of Emergency

KENOSHA, Wis. (WBAY) - Kenosha continued to be a flashpoint for protests and violence Tuesday for a third night since the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Governor Tony Evers authorized deploying more Wisconsin National Guard troops to assist local first responders.

Protesters defied a curfew and orders to leave Civic Center Park. Reporters at the scene say protesters fired fireworks at law enforcement and tried to pull down a barricade put around the county courthouse. Law enforcement responded with tear gas and what appeared to be pepper balls.

Evers declared a State of Emergency amid protests across the state in response to property damage and other crimes during the protests.

The emergency declaration let the governor call up active duty Wisconsin National Guard members to support first responders “and protect critical infrastructure and cultural institutions.”

Earlier, Evers said he was increasing the presence of the National Guard in Kenosha at the request of local officials after two nights of violence.

“The ability to exercise First Amendment rights is a critically important part of our democracy and the pursuit of justice. But there remains a line between peaceful assembly and what we saw last night that put individuals, families, and businesses in danger,” says Evers. “We are assessing the damage to state property and will be increasing the presence of the Wisconsin National Guard to ensure individuals can exercise their right safely, protect state buildings and critical infrastructure, and support first responders and fire fighters.”

“Tonight, and in the days ahead, if you are going to protest, please do so peacefully and safely. Please do not allow the actions of a few distract us from the work we must do together to demand justice, equity, and accountability.”

Our sister station WISN reports the Kenosha city council passed its own state of emergency declaration, and council members complained about a lack of communication from the mayor and police as they hear from concerned constituents who want answers about the police response.

The family attorney said Tuesday Blake is paralyzed and it would “take a miracle” for him to walk again.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking alongside family members of Blake, said the 29-year-old was in surgery after being shot on Sunday night multiple times.

“They shot my son seven times, seven times, like he didn’t matter,” said Blake’s father, who is also named Jacob Blake. “But my son matters. He’s a human being and he matters.”

Another family attorney said they would be filing a civil lawsuit against the police department over the shooting. Police have said little about what happened, other than that they were responding to a domestic dispute. The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating.

Blake’s father spoke earlier with the Chicago Sun-Times about his son’s condition. The elder Blake tells the paper that his son has “eight holes in his body.” CLICK HERE to read the full article in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Video recorded by bystanders shows Blake walking away from officers, ignoring their demands, and reaching into or getting into his SUV when he was shot in the back at point blank range by one or two officers. His attorney confirmed Blake’s sons, ages 3, 5, and 8, were in the SUV.

Blake asks, “What justified all those shots? What justified doing that in front of my grandsons? What are we doing?”

Overnight, businesses were set on fire as people took to the streets to protest the shooting of Blake, a Black man.

WBAY partner station WISN captured images and video of fires. They also captured video of tear gas deployed by law enforcement to disperse the crowd.

WISN reporter Hannah Hilyard was at 63rd and Roosevelt in the city Tuesday morning. “At every turn, there is destruction,” she tweeted.

WISN reports demonstrators and law enforcement clashed outside the Kenosha County Courthouse around 8 p.m. That's when a curfew took effect. WISN reports that officers used flash bangs, tear gas and rubber bullets.

Rioters set fire to Kenosha city trucks. Some tossed bottles at officers.

The Wisconsin National Guard responded to help law enforcement in Kenosha.

Video of the shooting of Jacob Blake was captured on cell phone video and shared on Facebook Sunday evening. The Kenosha Police Department says they were called for a “domestic incident.”

CLICK HERE to view the video. Warning: graphic content.

The video shows officers with guns drawn following Blake as he approaches his vehicle. Blake reaches into the SUV and a white officer pulls on Blake’s shirt and fires multiple times from behind. At least seven gun shots are heard in the video. Police have not said how many shots were fired or if both officers fired their weapons.

A video shared with the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom appears to show Blake struggling with officers prior to the moment he walked away from them.

Blake family attorney Ben Crump says Blake’s three sons, ages 8, 5 and 3, were in the vehicle when he was shot. Crump says Blake was “helping to de-escalate” the domestic incident when “police drew their weapons and tasered him.”

“As he was walking away to check on his children, police fired their weapons several times into his back at point blank range. Blake’s three sons were only a few feet away and witnessed police shoot their father,” Crump says.

Crump represents the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, each killed by police.

On Monday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers called a Special Session of the State Legislature to take up a package of police accountability bills in response to the shooting of Blake.

The Special Session is to convene at noon on Aug. 31. The legislation includes use of force standards for all law enforcement agencies, use of force training, prohibiting the use of chokeholds and the ban of no-knock warrants.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson called on Gov. Evers to “provide a sufficient presence of the Wisconsin National Guard to maintain order.” Evers had activated 125 troops to help on the ground in Kenosha.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating the shooting. The officers involved were placed on administrative leave. That’s protocol in Wisconsin officer-involved shooting investigations.

“The Wisconsin Department of Justice is vigorously and thoroughly investigating yesterday’s officer-involved shooting in Kenosha. As with all investigations we conduct, we will unwaveringly pursue justice in this case,” says Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul. “I hope for a full recovery for the man fighting for his life. He and his family are in my thoughts, as is the entire Kenosha community.

“In most cases, including this case, Wisconsin state law grants primary prosecutorial authority to the district attorney, who decides whether to file charges. We will work closely with the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office throughout this case.”

Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian said Monday, “We believe in justice, and therefore justice means for everyone. And that is one of the reasons that we’re here is to make sure that everyone understands what occurred the other day is something that we will hold the police and the public responsible. Everyone is responsible for our own actions, and the investigation of the police department will go forward.”

In July, an arrest warrant and charges were filed against Blake for 3rd Degree Sexual Assault, Criminal Trespass, and Disorderly Conduct. All three have domestic abuse modifiers. It is unclear if that case has anything to do with what happened Sunday.

Copyright 2020 WBAY. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved.