Page Nav

HIDE
Wednesday, December 4

Pages

Classic Header

Breaking News:

Clean up in Kenosha begins as the city implements ANOTHER curfew and Gov. Tony Evers increases National Guard presence following two nights of protests which turned violent in wake of cops shooting unarmed black father Jacob Blake

Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, were on Tuesday readying for a third night of violence after arsonists torched much of the city's b...

Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, were on Tuesday readying for a third night of violence after arsonists torched much of the city's black business district following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. 
Smoke billowed over central Kenosha after police in riot gear clashed with protesters who defied a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Officials announced Tuesday afternoon they would be enforcing another curfew from 8pm on Tuesday until 7am Wednesday for the area east of I-94.
The Wisconsin city became the nation's latest flashpoint in a summer of racial unrest after the police shooting black man Jacob Blake, 29, in the back Sunday. The shooting occurred three months after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and racism. 
Gov. Tony Evers signed an order declaring a state of emergency Tuesday, calling on increased help from the Wisconsin National Guard. The Democrat warned: 'We cannot forget the reason why these protests began, and what we have seen play out over the last two nights and many nights this year is the pain, anguish, and exhaustion of being Black in our state and country. 
'But as I said yesterday, and as I'll reiterate today, everyone should be able to exercise their fundamental right—whether a protester or member of the press—peacefully and safely. We cannot allow the cycle of systemic racism and injustice to continue. We also cannot continue going down this path of damage and destruction.'
A city block was cordoned off Tuesday, so officials could survey damage. Several storefronts were badly damaged. Smoke filled the air and visibility was low as firefighters used water cannons on still smoldering buildings.
Kenosha County Board of Supervisors member Zach Rodriguez said the board would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday on seeking federal help, such as U.S. Marshals Service officers, to quell the unrest after some 300 rioters looted businesses and set fire to buildings overnight.
Essentially, our city was burned to the ground, building by building,' Rodriguez told Reuters. 'Enough is enough.' 
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. 
One of the buildings destroyed was the Wisconsin Department of Corrections' probation and parole office. Most staff had already transitioned to working remotely, and all essential operations are continuing, said department spokeswoman Anna Neal. 
A drone photo shows an aerial view of the State of Wisconsin Department of Correction and its surroundings
A drone photo shows an aerial view of the State of Wisconsin Department of Correction and its surroundings
Volunteers clean up department of corrections building Tuesday. The building was burned during protests sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police
Volunteers clean up department of corrections building Tuesday. The building was burned during protests sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police
Firefighters battle blazes into the mid morning Tuesday; Smoke billowed over central Kenosha after police in riot gear clashed with protesters who defied a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Monday night and into Tuesday morning
Firefighters battle blazes into the mid morning Tuesday; Smoke billowed over central Kenosha after police in riot gear clashed with protesters who defied a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Monday night and into Tuesday morning
Volunteers clean up a department of corrections building Tuesday; The Wisconsin city became the nation's latest flashpoint in a summer of racial unrest after the police shooting black man Jacob Blake, 29, in the back Sunday
Volunteers clean up a department of corrections building Tuesday; The Wisconsin city became the nation's latest flashpoint in a summer of racial unrest after the police shooting black man Jacob Blake, 29, in the back Sunday
Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday were readying for a third night of violence after arsonists torched much of the city's black business district following the police shooting of Jacob Blake
Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday were readying for a third night of violence after arsonists torched much of the city's black business district following the police shooting of Jacob Blake
A worker tries to remove spray paint from a wall after protests the night before on Tuesday; Officials announced Tuesday afternoon they would be enforcing another curfew from 8pm on Tuesday until 7am Wednesday for the area east of I-94
A worker tries to remove spray paint from a wall after protests the night before on Tuesday; Officials announced Tuesday afternoon they would be enforcing another curfew from 8pm on Tuesday until 7am Wednesday for the area east of I-94
Angela Martin helps to clean up a department of corrections building Tuesday; Gov. Tony Evers signed an order declaring a state of emergency Tuesday, calling on the continued help of the Wisconsin National Guard
Angela Martin helps to clean up a department of corrections building Tuesday; Gov. Tony Evers signed an order declaring a state of emergency Tuesday, calling on the continued help of the Wisconsin National Guard
A city block was cordoned off Tuesday, so officials could survey damage. Several storefronts were badly damaged. Smoke filled the air and visibility was low as firefighters used water cannons on still smoldering buildings
A city block was cordoned off Tuesday, so officials could survey damage. Several storefronts were badly damaged. Smoke filled the air and visibility was low as firefighters used water cannons on still smoldering buildings
In this September 2019 selfie photo taken in Evanston, Ill., Adria-Joi Watkins poses with her second cousin Jacob Blake. He is recovering from being shot multiple times by Kenosha police
In this September 2019 selfie photo taken in Evanston, Ill., Adria-Joi Watkins poses with her second cousin Jacob Blake. He is recovering from being shot multiple times by Kenosha police
Blake, 29, remained in intensive care following surgery and would require more operations, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Blake family, told ABC News on Tuesday. 
Blake's father told the Chicago Sun-Times his son was paralyzed from the waist down. 
Firefighters from about 30 fire departments around the region came to Kenosha to help put out the blazes across swaths of the city. 
'Nobody deserves this,' said Pat Oertle, owner of Computer Adventure. Computers were stolen, and the store was 'destroyed,' she said.
'This accomplishes nothing,' Oertle said. 
'This is not justice that they're looking for.' 
Black Lives Matter activists are demanding the immediate firing or arrest of the Kenosha officers, who have been placed on administrative leave.

Hours into Monday night's curfew, the mostly peaceful demonstration turned violent, with some protesters setting off fireworks.
Local police, who had support from National Guard troops, fired tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd, which grew to several hundred, according to protester Porche Bennett, 31, of Kenosha. 
Protesters set fire to buildings, cars and dumpsters, threw bottles and shot fireworks and then clashed with officers in riot gear, including 125 members of the Wisconsin National Guard, who deployed tear gas as they guarded the courthouse. 
A drone photo shows an aerial view of the auto dealership and its surroundings following the protests held for shooting of a black man by police officer in Kenosha
A drone photo shows an aerial view of the auto dealership and its surroundings following the protests held for shooting of a black man by police officer in Kenosha
drone photo shows an aerial view of the furniture store. ¿Nobody deserves this,¿ said Pat Oertle, owner of Computer Adventure. Computers were stolen, and the store was ¿destroyed,¿ she said
drone photo shows an aerial view of the furniture store. 'Nobody deserves this,' said Pat Oertle, owner of Computer Adventure. Computers were stolen, and the store was 'destroyed,' she said
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
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
Protesters set fire to buildings, cars and dumpsters, threw bottles and shot fireworks and then clashed with officers in riot gear, including 125 members of the Wisconsin National Guard, who deployed tear gas as they guarded the courthouse
Protesters set fire to buildings, cars and dumpsters, threw bottles and shot fireworks and then clashed with officers in riot gear, including 125 members of the Wisconsin National Guard, who deployed tear gas as they guarded the courthouse
Dozens of cars, traffic lights and windows have also been smashed by looters. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake
Dozens of cars, traffic lights and windows have also been smashed by looters. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake
The shooting occurred three months after the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis who was pinned to the street under the knee of a white police officer, sparking nationwide protests against police brutality and racism in the US
The shooting occurred three months after the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis who was pinned to the street under the knee of a white police officer, sparking nationwide protests against police brutality and racism in the US
A pedestrian walks past some burned out cars after earlier protests Tuesday. Firefighters from about 30 fire departments around the region came to Kenosha to help put out the blazes across swaths of the city
A pedestrian walks past some burned out cars after earlier protests Tuesday. Firefighters from about 30 fire departments around the region came to Kenosha to help put out the blazes across swaths of the city
Hours into Monday night's curfew, the mostly peaceful demonstration turned violent, with some protesters setting off fireworks. Local police, who had support from National Guard troops, fired tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd, which grew to several hundred, according to protester Porche Bennett, 31, of Kenosha
Hours into Monday night's curfew, the mostly peaceful demonstration turned violent, with some protesters setting off fireworks. Local police, who had support from National Guard troops, fired tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd, which grew to several hundred, according to protester Porche Bennett, 31, of Kenosha
A citizen delivers water as firefighters battle blazes into the mid morning Tuesday. Video shows the officer grabbing Blake by his t-shirt from behind as he tried to get in his car, and then shooting him seven times in the back at pointblank range
A citizen delivers water as firefighters battle blazes into the mid morning Tuesday. Video shows the officer grabbing Blake by his t-shirt from behind as he tried to get in his car, and then shooting him seven times in the back at pointblank range
People watch as a burnt building is being torn down, following the unrest between police and demonstrators
People watch as a burnt building is being torn down, following the unrest between police and demonstrators
There is no police body-cam footage of the Blake 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 Gov. Evers, who on Monday called out 125 members of the National Guard 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 8pm 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
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
Buildings were engulfed in flames as protestors continued to run riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for a second night of defiance
Buildings were engulfed in flames as protestors continued to run riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for a second night of defiance
An American flag flies over a department of correction building that was lit on fire 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
Protesters 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
Protesters 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
Law enforcement officers face angry crowds during a second night of unrest in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake
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
Protesters come face to face with police clad in riot gear in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday
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
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
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

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. 
Demonstrators throw tear gas back at law enforcement on August 24. Hours into the curfew, the mostly peaceful demonstration turned violent. Commercial and government buildings were set ablaze, along with vehicles in car dealership lots
Demonstrators throw tear gas back at law enforcement on August 24. Hours into the curfew, the mostly peaceful demonstration turned violent. Commercial and government buildings were set ablaze, along with vehicles in car dealership lots
Security forces stand guard in front of the courthouse Monday following the shooting of a black man by police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Security forces stand guard in front of the courthouse Monday following the shooting of a black man by police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin
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.   
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.