'My Babies Are Right Here': Jacob Blake Describes Being Shot By Officer
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/CNN/AP News) -- Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back by a Kenosha police officer seven times, leaving him partially paralyzed, has spoken with the media for the first time since the county attorney's office said no charges would be pursued in the incident.
Blake talked with ABC's "Good Morning America," and told reporter Michael Strahan that he was resisting on Aug. 25, and "not letting them put their head on my neck." In May, George Floyd died after now-fired Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee down on Floyd's neck for a number of minutes. The incident sparked global protests over police brutality and institutionalized racism.
Blake says after he was shot by Officer Rusten Sheskey, the first thing that went through his mind was, "My babies are right here. My babies, my babies. So after he stopped shooting me, I said, 'Daddy loves you, no matter what.' I thought it was going be the last thing I say to them. Thank God it wasn't."
Blake added that he was counting his breaths and thought, "God, I'm coming. I guess this is it for me."
Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said he made his decision not to charge Sheskey "based on the facts and on the laws," and said he did not believe there was sufficient evidence to get a conviction in the Aug. 23 incident.
The incident sparked widespread unrest in Kenosha, during which prosecutors say 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot two people, and injured another. Rittenhouse was charged in August with multiple counts, including reckless and intentional homicide, endangerment and being a minor in possession of a firearm, along with an additional charge of violating curfew.
This week, prosecutors in Wisconsin asked a judge to order Rittenhouse to stay out of bars and away from white supremacist groups. This came after he was seen drinking at a bar in the southeastern Wisconsin city of Mount Pleasant, posing outside the bar for a photo with two men as they all gestured an "OK" sign with their hands, which has become a symbol used by white supremacists.
Justin Blake, Jacob Blake's, says last week's violent mob that breached the U.S. Capitol reminded him Americans live "under two justice systems."
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report.)
