Black victim details shooting by officer
KENOSHA — A Black man who was shot in the back by a white police officer in Wisconsin, leaving him partially paralyzed and triggering several nights of violent protests, said in an interview Thursday with ABC’s “Good Morning America” that he was prepared to surrender just before the officer opened fire.
Jacob Blake, 29, said that during a struggle with Kenosha police who were trying to arrest him Aug. 23 on an outstanding warrant his pocketknife fell from his pants.
Officer Rusten Sheskey told investigators that he feared that Blake was going to stab him, so he opened fire. A Wisconsin prosecutor on Jan. 5 declined to file charges against Sheskey.
Kenosha erupted with violent protests for several nights after Blake was shot.
During one night of unrest following the Kenosha shooting, prosecutors say a white 17-yearold from Antioch, Ill., shot and killed two men and wounded a third on Aug. 25, claiming the shootings were in self-defense amid the chaos.
This week, prosecutors in Wisconsin asked a judge to order Kyle Rittenhouse, who now is 18 and free on $2 million bond, to stay out of bars and away from white supremacist groups after he was seen drinking at a bar and posing for photos with members of Proud Boys and flashing a “white power” hand sign.