The family of Jacob Blake held a press conference and marched Monday evening ahead of a decision on whether charges will be filed against a Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer.
A decision from the Kenosha County District Attorney is expected on whether Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey will face charges in the Aug. 23 shooting of Blake.
Blake, 29, was shot seven times in the back. Officers had responded to the scene prior to the shooting on a "domestic incident."
The Wisconsin Department of Justice said Blake had later admitted to having a knife in his vehicle, but it was unclear if he was reaching it when he was attempting to enter his vehicle.
Sheskey, and several other officers, were placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Blake's family, and other Kenosha community leaders, held a press conference Monday afternoon at the Collective in Kenosha. The group is calling for charges against Sheskey.
“We want justice and healing for Jacob Blake, the Blake family, and our Kenosha community,” said Tanya McLean, Executive Director of Leaders of Kenosha (LOK). “Officer Sheskey fired seven shots into an unarmed man’s back, on a block where our children walk to school and our families go to church. All of us, Black, white, brown, native and newcomer, deserve to be safe in our own neighborhoods, and that means holding police officers accountable when they brutalize us.”
Blake's family and activists also marched in the city following the conference.
The Kenosha Common Council will also be considering an emergency declaration during a scheduled meeting Monday evening. Businesses in Kenosha have been seen boarding up windows ahead of possible unrest.
Also on Monday, Gov. Tony Evers authorizedthe Wisconsin National Guard in Kenosha ahead of the charging decision.
In a statement, the governor said that local authorities requested the deployment. About 500 members are expected to deploy this week.
This article was written by WTMJ.
