Kenosha burns: BLM protesters set light to Department of Corrections building and local businesses while looters run riot in protest at Jacob Blake police shooting
Rioters set fire to car dealerships, furniture stores, dump trucks, and a Department of Corrections building while protesters clashed with National Guardsmen as Kenosha, Wisconsin, descended into violent chaos on Monday.
The unrest entered its second day as outrage grows over the police shooting on Sunday of an unarmed black man in front of his home. Police again fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters who defied a curfew, threw bottles and shot fireworks at law enforcement guarding the courthouse.
Jacob Blake, 29, is listed in serious condition in a Milwaukee hospital after a Kenosha police officer fired seven shots into his back while responding to a domestic disturbance call.
There is no police body-cam footage of the shooting as it was previously decided by city and law enforcement leaders that the devices cost too much to provide them to officers. But a mobile phone clip of the incident went viral on social media on Sunday, igniting widespread outrage three months after the death of George Floyd.
The shooting drew condemnation from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who also called out 125 members of the National Guard on Monday after protesters set cars on fire, smashed windows and clashed with officers in riot gear the previous night.
Police first fired tear gas Monday about 30 minutes after the 8 p.m. curfew took effect to disperse protesters who chanted, 'No justice, no peace' as they confronted a line of officers who wore protective gear and stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the courthouse entrance. But hundreds of people stuck around, screaming at police and lighting fires, including to a garbage truck near the courthouse.
A city garbage truck burns during a second night of unrest in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
An American flag flies over a department of correction building that was lit on fire in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Protestores took turns posing in front of a burning garbage truck during a second night of unrest in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers
Police stand near a department of corrections building that was on fire in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Law enforcement officers face angry crowds during a second night of unrest in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake
Protesters come face to face with police clad in riot gear in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
A protester attempts to continue standing through a cloud of tear gas fired by police outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday
Meanwhile, details have emerged about Blake's criminal past, including a recent arrest for sexual assault.
According to online records, Kenosha County prosecutors charged Blake with third-degree sexual assault, trespassing, and disorderly conduct in connection with domestic abuse. It was unclear whether that case had anything to do with the shooting.
In 2015, Blake was also charged with resisting arrest and carrying a concealed weapon after he pulled a gun at a local bar in Racine.
Police in the former auto manufacturing center of 100,000 people midway between Milwaukee and Chicago said they were responding to a call about a domestic dispute when they encountered Blake on Sunday.
They did not say whether Blake was armed or why police opened fire, they released no details on the dispute, and they did not immediately disclose the race of the three officers at the scene.
The man who said he made the cellphone video, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he saw Blake scuffling with three officers and heard them yell, 'Drop the knife! Drop the knife!' before the gunfire erupted. He said he didn't see a knife in Blake's hands.
The governor said he has seen no information to suggest Blake had a knife or other weapon, but that the case is still being investigated by the state Justice Department. The officers were placed on administrative leave, standard practice in a shooting by police. Authorities released no details about the officers and did not immediately respond to requests for their service records.
Tensions had flared anew earlier Monday after a news conference with Kenosha Mayor John Antarmian, originally to be held in a park, was moved inside the city's public safety building.
Hundreds of protesters rushed to the building and a door was snapped off its hinges before police in riot gear pepper-sprayed the crowd, which included a photographer from The Associated Press.
Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, stand near an office furniture building that was set on fire by rioters on Monday
A protester lights a cigarette on a garbage truck that was set on fire during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Buildings were engulfed in flames as protestors continued to run riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for a second night of defiance
The silhouettes of the demonstrators outline against the glowing flames of cars they set on fire a few block from the county courthouse
Flames engulf several vehicles that were set on fire by rioters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Flames roar from a row of cars torched by protesters a few blocks from the county courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Several protesters walk past police with their arms up in the air as a building burns nearby in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Police first fired the tear gas about 30 minutes after the 8pm curfew took effect and protesters refused to disperse.
But hundreds of people stuck around, lighting fires and screaming at police.
It is thought that the city, which is home to around 100,000 people, has so far lost a mattress store, church, Mexican restaurant and a cellphone shop in the raging fires, according to witnesses.
Dozens of cars, traffic lights and windows have also been smashed by looters who continue to run riot.
Ordering 125 Guard troops deployed to Kenosha, on the shore of Lake Michigan 40 miles south of Milwaukee, Governor Tony Evers also decried what he branded excessive force in the shooting of Jacob Blake, and called for a special legislative session to consider police reforms.
Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, deploy tear gas to disperse protesters near the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday
Protesters take cover as police use tear gas during riots and demonstrations in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
An armored police vehicle is seen on the left while officers with riot shields are seen on the right near Kenosha County Court House on Monday
Two protesters stand with raised fists as a garbage truck burns behind them during a second night of unrest in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Vehicles at a used car lot had their windscreens smashed by protestors before being set on fire during the ongoing disruption in Kenosha, Wisconsin
A Black Lives Matter supporter holds a sign that reads 'Stop murdering people of color' in front of a row of police officers in Kenosha on Monday
Protesters carry an injured man during a march to demonstrate against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Kenosha County police officers clad in riot gear stand in front of the county courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Crowds of protestors gathered around a car as it attempted to drive through a crowd of protestors on Monday in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Protesters clash with Kenosha County Sheriff's officers in front of the county courthouse on Monday
Demonstrators wearing gas masks throw back canisters of tear gas toward law enforcement in the second night of defiance in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Several protesters reported being hit with projectiles, including rubber bullets and bean bags fired by law enforcement
Several protesters are seen with umbrellas as they stand face to face with police officers near the courthouse in Kenosha on Monday
On Monday afternoon, Kenosha's mayor faced dozens of angry, jeering protesters demanding the arrest of officers involved in Sunday's shooting.
Some in the group tried to force their way into the municipal public-safety building adjacent to the courthouse when the mayor, John Antaramian, retreated from the heckling crowd.
The door was broken from its hinges, but police in riot gear drove the demonstrators back by dousing some with pepper spray.
Shortly after nightfall, scores of protesters defying a dusk-to-dawn curfew massed outside the courthouse, shouting and tossing water bottles at a line of sheriff's deputies, who responded with volleys of tear gas and pepper balls.
A protester stands off with police in riot gear outside the Kenosha County Courthouse late Monday in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Several buildings, including a Wisconsin Department of Corrections building, were set on fire in Kenosha
National Guard troops fire tear gas on the crowd to disperse them after a warning was ignored during protests on Monday in Wisconsin
Police and members of the Sheriff's department hold a perimeter around the courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Sheriff officers stand guard protecting the Kenosha County Courthouse, with 'less-lethal' weapons on Monday as riots continue into a second day
Scores of police officers took up positions while clad in riot gear and holding shields as they protected the courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
The unrest in Kenosha comes in response to Sunday's shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old black man. Witnesses reported that at least three police officers had their guns drawn as Blake (seen above in the white t-shirt) was walking away from them on Sunday
The images above show the moments leading up to the shooting. Blake (seen in the white shirt) walks away from a police officer who has his gun drawn and is ordering him to stop
Jacob Blake's mug shot from 2015 is seen left. Online records (right) indicate that an arrest warrant was issued for Blake last month. He was charged with sexual assault
A short time later, several truckloads of National Guard troops were seen rolling into the center of town about a block away. Local media reported that exit ramps leading into the city from Interstate 94 had been closed to traffic.
At least one sheriff's deputy has suffered a neck injury by a firework that was set off by protestors, according to the New York Times.
It is uncertain whether there have been any arrests.
Blake, 29, was listed in stable condition following surgery, his father told news media on Monday. His three young sons witnessed the shooting from just a few feet away while sitting in their car, according to the family attorney, Ben Crump.
Video of the encounter taken by an onlooker showed Blake walking toward the driver's side of a gray SUV followed by two officers with their guns drawn at his back.
Seven gunshots are then heard as Blake, who appears unarmed, opens the car door and a woman nearby jumps up and down in disbelief.
It was unknown whether the officers saw something inside the vehicle that prompted them to shoot Blake. It was also not clear whether one or both officers opened fire.
A man speaks to police lined up during a protest outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday during the second night of rioting
Police form a barrier as they stand near a garbage truck ablaze during the protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
A protester uses a tennis racket to hit back a can of tear gas toward police as he shields himself with an umbrella outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday
A protester walks past a building with broken windows as others burn during the protests in Kenosha in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake
Sheriff officers wearing gas masks stand guard outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Wisconsin as rioters continue for a second night
City and law enforcement leaders in Kenosha had unanimously endorsed the use of body cameras in 2017 as a way to increase police accountability and collect evidence at scenes of domestic violence, among other benefits.
But they later balked at the price tag, raised policy concerns and put off implementation.
Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian confirmed on Monday that current plans call for the city to buy them in 2022 — more than five years after he endorsed their adoption.
Officers do have cameras in their squad cars, but it's unclear whether any captured the shooting.
Nicholas Gonzalez calls for medical attention after getting shot in the wrist with a projectile in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Law enforcement officials form a human barricade near the courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
People yell at a line of police officers during a protest outside the Kenosha County courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
A woman taunts members of the sheriff's department as they hold a perimeter outside the Kenosha County courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Protesters set fire to an office on Monday night as looters ran riot for a second night in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Evers, a Democrat, said he ordered Guard troops to Kenosha at the request of local officials to help maintain order after activists said they were organizing further demonstrations for Monday night.
He also said police had shown a pattern of 'excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.'
'We must rise to this movement and this moment and meet it with our empathy, our humanity and a fierce commitment to disrupt the cycle of systemic racism and bias that devastates Black families and communities,' Evers said in a public address.
Pete Deates, president of the city's police union, accused the governor of rushing to judgment, calling Evers' comments 'wholly irresponsible.'
He added: 'As always, the video currently circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident.'
A protester holding a pro-Black Lives Matter sign stands near a burning garbage truck outside the courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
A protester raises her fist while standing in a cloud of tear gas as a garbage truck burns in the background near the county courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
A protester uses an umbrella to shield himself from tear gas fired by police during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
Police take up positions next to an armored vehicle as protests raged in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for a second straight night on Monday
A protester wearing a face mask taunted police on Monday during a confrontation in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer a day earlier
Luna, 23, came with a group from Milwaukee who call themselves The Peoples Revolution. She is seen above holding up the beanbag that hit her backpack in Kenosha
Police attempt to push back protesters outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
The shooting occurred three months after the May 25 death of a Black man in Minneapolis, George Floyd, who was pinned to the street under the knee of a white police officer, sparking nationwide protests against police brutality and racism within the US criminal justice system.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democrat challenging Republican President Donald Trump in the November 3 election, called for the officers involved in Kenosha to be held accountable.
'The nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force,' Biden said in a statement.
'These shots pierce the soul of our nation.'
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin denounced the National Guard deployment as an unnecessary and 'militarized' response to legitimate protests that 'only serves to exacerbate tensions.'
Sunday's shooting occurred as officers were responding to what they termed a 'domestic incident.'
Police immediately took the victim to a hospital, according to a police statement. Authorities gave no further explanation of what led to the shooting.
Attorney Crump, who also has represented Floyd's family, said in a statement that Blake had been trying to de-escalate a domestic incident when the officers first shot him with a stun gun.
'As he was walking away to check on his children, police fired their weapons several times into his back at point-blank range,' Crump said.
The officers involved were placed on administrative leave while the investigation is underway, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said on Monday.
Kenosha burns: BLM protesters set light to Department of Corrections building and local businesses while looters run riot in protest at Jacob Blake police shooting
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August 25, 2020
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