Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is calling for an “an immediate, full and transparent investigation” into the shooting of Jacob Blake, and for the officers involved in the shooting to be “held accountable.”
The police officers who shot Blake have already been placed on administrative leave and protests have sparked in Wisconsin where Blake was shot. The 29-year-old was shot by police in front of his children and is the latest Black man to have become the victim of a police shooting.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) addressed the shooting in a string of tweets on Sunday night, writing, “While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.”
While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) August 24, 2020
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is leading a probe into the shooting, according to a statement from Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul.
In their Monday morning statement, the Biden campaign wrote, “Yesterday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back as police attempted to restrain him from getting into his car.”
“His children watched from inside the car and bystanders watched in disbelief. And this morning, the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force. This calls for an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable.”
Biden’s statement continued, “Equal justice has not been real for Black Americans and so many others. We are at an inflection point. We must dismantle systemic racism. It is the urgent task before us.”
Joe Biden statement on the police shooting Jacob Blake: "This calls for an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable." pic.twitter.com/nzXUd6yCVV
— Daniel Strauss (@DanielStrauss4) August 24, 2020
A number of politicians extended their thoughts to Blake and his family. On Monday morning, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted “Praying for Jacob Blake, his children, and his family. It’s not enough to paint slogans. We need systemic change: ending qualified immunity, changing budget priorities, investing in communities harmed by overpolicing, and more. The solutions are out there. We must act on them.”
