Police fire tear gas at Wisconsin protesters after Jacob Blake shooting
Authorities fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday night, according to videos of the incident shared by a reporter from CBS affiliate WDJT. The clash comes just a day after a police officer shot the 29-year-old Blake, who is Black, at least seven times in the back as he opened the door of a parked vehicle.
WDJT reported that there were tense standoffs between police and protesters outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse both before and after the city's curfew went into effect at 8 p.m. local time. In a video tweeted at approximately 8:30 p.m., reporter Mark McPherson reported that demonstrators threw "several dozen" glass and plastic bottles at police, who warned that they would soon fire tear gas.
— Mark McPherson (@NewsMarkMcP) August 25, 2020
Soon after the warnings, the officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets, WDJT reported.
The gas and rubber bullets caused the protesters to move back temporarily, but they soon moved forward again, WDJT said. Police then fired a second round of tear gas and rubber bullets, according to WDJT.
— Mark McPherson (@NewsMarkMcP) August 25, 2020
By 10 p.m. local time, a fire had been set outside the courthouse. WJDT reported that National Guard vehicles had arrived on scene, and that police had fired pepper balls, bean bags, and rubber bullets.
Shortly after the shooting on Sunday, video of the incident began circulating on social media. Blake's family's attorney, renowned civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, told CBS News on Monday that Blake is in stable condition at the hospital.
At approximately 5 p.m. local time on Sunday, police responded to calls of a domestic incident. The video of the shooting, which quickly went viral on social media, showed Blake walking away from officers who had their weapons drawn. As Blake attempted to open the door of a parked SUV, an officer grabbed his shirt and fired at least seven times. Both Crump and an eyewitness also claimed that Blake was tased.
The shooting is being investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.
The shooting sparked violent protests on Sunday night. Multiple businesses were vandalized and cars were set ablaze.
In preparation for Monday night's protests, Kenosha County implemented its second night of curfews. Governor Tony Evers also deployed 125 members of the state's National Guard.
Mola Lenghi contributed reporting.