August 24 Jacob Blake protests news

By Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes, Jessie Yeung and Adam Renton, CNN

Updated 2:21 p.m. ET, January 18, 2021

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2:16 p.m. ET, January 18, 2021

Protests underway after police shooting in Wisconsin

Demonstrators march through the city during a protest in New York on Monday, August 24, against the shooting of Jacob Blake. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Protests are underway in New York after a Black man was shot multiple times in the back Sunday by Wisconsin police.

Jacob Blake, the man who was shot multiple times in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is in stable condition in an intensive care unit, his attorney Ben Crump told CNN.

Footage of the shooting has spread across social media, sparking protests and leading county officials to institute a curfew that ended Monday morning. Another curfew will be instituted from 8 p.m. Monday until 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, according to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department.

Two Wisconsin police officers have been place on administrative leave as state authorities investigate the shooting.

Reporting from CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin and Amir Vera contributed to this report.

Update: Since this item posted, Jacob Blake has confirmed in interviews that he did have a knife.

Hear more:

6:25 p.m. ET, August 24, 2020

Jacob Blake still in intensive care after being shot multiple times, his attorney says

From CNN's Gisela Crespo

Jacob Blake, the man who was shot multiple times in the back on Sunday by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is still in intensive care, the attorney representing him and his family told CNN Monday.

During an interview on CNN's "The Situation Room," attorney Ben Crump said that while Blake is stable, "they cannot tell at this moment what his prognosis would be."

Crump added Blake's children — who were in the car Blake was trying to enter when he was shot — will have to deal with the psychological issues from "seeing their father shot these many times in the back from the people who were supposed to protect and serve him."

"We are still waiting for the facts to be confirmed but what it does tell us — whether is George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks — there is an issue with the culture and the behavior of policing in America," Crump told Blitzer. "If we don't have the systematic reform that this moment in America is crying out for, then we are going to continue to see hashtag after hashtag, protest after protest, and cities burning all across America."

"We are now seeing it with our own eyes that there are two justice systems in America: one for Black America and one for white America, and we're fighting for equal justice for all Americans," Crump added.

Crump said he doesn't know of additional footage of the shooting, but he has heard from people who said witnessed the incident and he's hoping to learn more.

"The family wants these police officers to be held accountable and the one who shot [Blake] — they want him terminated," he said.

6:19 p.m. ET, August 24, 2020

Wisconsin attorney general on Kenosha shooting: "We don't make the prosecution decision"

From CNN's Raja Razek

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a news conference Monday that the state's Department of Justice will not "make the prosecution decision" in the Kenosha shooting case.

"We don't make the prosecution decision in this case. That's a decision that will be made ultimately by District Attorney [Michael] Graveley," Kaul said. "But we will be working closely with his office as additional facts and evidence are uncovered."

"We understand that there is a need for this investigation to move swiftly. And our goal is to move swiftly with this investigation," he added. "But we are only going to do so to the extent that is consistent with protecting the integrity of this investigation because it is vital that we get as full and thorough investigation as possible so we can pursue justice fully in this case."

5:41 p.m. ET, August 24, 2020

Kenosha district attorney says investigation is at its "earliest stages"

From CNN's Raja Razek

Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley discussed in a news conference Monday the process "to get justice for all the parties who are involved" in the case, including Jacob Blake and the officers at the scene.

Graveley said the investigation has started, but it is at its "earliest stages."

"The Kenosha Police Department has asked for the Division of Criminal Investigation, DCI, to be the investigating agency," he said. "They are a completely independent agency."

Once the investigation is completed, the investigation results and the materials gathered will be given to the Kenosha District Attorney's Office.

At which point, the district attorney's office will review "those things."

"And really the District Attorney's Office is tasked with something very narrow. We're asked to make two determinations based on the evidence that is presented," he said. "One, did any officer, in this case, commit any crimes, and two, are there any crimes that we believe were committed that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt?"

"If those two things are concluded as a yes, then criminal charges would be brought at the end of that process," he added.

5:17 p.m. ET, August 24, 2020

Kenosha Police Department does not have body cameras, mayor says

From CNN's Raja Razek

Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian uses a bull horn to talk to people gathered in front of the police station on Monday, August 24, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Kenosha, Wisconsin, Mayor John Antaramian said in a news conference Monday that the Kenosha Police Department does not have body cameras.

"The purchase of body cameras has been under budget for a while. And part of the issue had been in dealing with the state, getting the state to change the law and how much, how long you have to hold the material," Antaramian said. "And so they did make that modification which makes it financially affordable for communities to actually have the bodycams."

Antaramian did confirm police cars do have dashcams.

Asked if there is dashcam video of last night's incident, the mayor said he could not confirm and would have to check.

5:04 p.m. ET, August 24, 2020

NBA star LeBron James addresses Jacob Blake shooting: "We want JUSTICE"

From CNN's Cesar Marin

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had a strong, passionate response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, the Black man shot and critically injured by an officer with the Kenosha Police Department Sunday afternoon.

James called for justice in a Twitter post which links to video showing the incident.

“And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted. This sh*t is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE," he tweeted.

2:16 p.m. ET, January 18, 2021

Authorities impose curfew in Kenosha County

From CNN’s Jennifer Selva

Police in riot gear stand outside the Kenosha County Court House Monday, Aug. 24, in Kenosha, Wisc. Kenosha police shot a man Sunday evening, setting off unrest in the city after a video appeared to show the officer firing several shots at close range into the man's back. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Morry Gash/AP

The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department has ordered all residents in the Wisconsin county to stay inside starting at 8 p.m. CT tonight.

"The public needs to be off the streets for their safety. The curfew will be enforced until 7:00 AM," the sheriff's department said in a Facebook post.

The curfew comes after a night of unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Kenosha is a city of 100,000 located on the Lake Michigan coastline between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian also confirmed in a news conference Monday that the National Guard has been called into the city.

Update: Since this item posted, Jacob Blake has confirmed in interviews that he did have a knife.

2:17 p.m. ET, January 18, 2021

Wisconsin attorney general says state's Justice Department is "vigorously" investigating shooting

From CNN's Mayra Cuevas

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said Monday his agency “will unwaveringly pursue justice" in the case involving the shooting of a Black man in Kenosha.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake by the Kenosha Police Department.

“The Wisconsin Department of Justice is vigorously and thoroughly investigating yesterday’s officer-involved shooting in Kenosha. As with all investigations we conduct, we will unwaveringly pursue justice in this case,” Kaul said in a statement. “I hope for a full recovery for the man fighting for his life. He and his family are in my thoughts, as is the entire Kenosha community. In most cases, including this case, Wisconsin state law grants primary prosecutorial authority to the district attorney, who decides whether to file charges. We will work closely with the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office throughout this case.”

Update: Since this item posted, Jacob Blake has confirmed in interviews that he did have a knife.

3:49 p.m. ET, August 24, 2020

Trump campaign adviser says it's "too early" to comment on shooting

From CNN's DJ Judd

Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller declined to weigh in on the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Speaking to Bob Costa of the Washington Post, Miller said, “I think it's too early. I don't want to offer political commentary on that just yet."

"I want to make sure that we have the facts," he added.