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Kenosha: Anti-police rioters burn down church, mattress store, Mexican restaurant, cell phone store

Kenosha: Anti-police rioters burn down church, mattress store, Mexican restaurant, cell phone store 1

KENOSHA, WI- During civil unrest and violent protests that have continued for three consecutive nights, anti-police rioters burned down a church. 

Since the officer-involved shooting that took place on Sunday, local businesses have been destroyed, vandalized, some even torched to the ground, and an officer was knocked out when he was struck with a brick from a violent protester. 

The Daily Wire reported that the riots extended into the early morning hours on Monday, picked up again Monday night and then extended into the early morning hours of Tuesday:

“Residents emerged from their houses around midnight to gape at billowing smoke that could be seen for miles. Lost in the blaze, neighbors said was a mattress store, a storefront church, and Mexican restaurant, and a cellphone store. Less than a mile away, a probation and parole office was also on fire.”

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that shortly before 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning, police asked for voluntary cooperation to disperse the area. Police announced that it was an unlawful assembly and to please leave the area.

People continued to move through the city and just before 2:30 a.m., a Facebook livestream video showed a truck that had been set on fire in the parking lot of car dealership a few blocks from the courthouse. A firetruck arrived a few minutes later and began putting out the blaze.

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Shortly after 3 a.m., the fire had spread to the Bradford Community Church, the marquee sign read “Black Lives Matter” before being incinerated. The building appeared not to have been severely damaged. It was built back in 1907 and is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

On Monday, in a statement online, Reverend Erik David Carlson said that he feels relieved that the damage was minimal. He said:

“We, the members and clergy of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, are outraged at the violence perpetuated in the name of law enforcement on our people of color throughout our nation’s history and yesterday in Kenosha in the case of Jacob Blake for whose life we now pray.”

As the riots continued, Governor Tony Evers deployed the National Guard to assist local law enforcement. The Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office said in a statement:

“Gov. Tony Evers today, at the request of local officials, authorized the Wisconsin National Guard to support local law enforcement in Kenosha County to help protect critical infrastructure and assist in maintaining public safety and the ability of individuals to peacefully protest.”

In a news conference on Monday, Evers said:

“I know folks across our state will be making their voices heard in Kenosha and in communities across Wisconsin. Every person should be able to express their anger and frustration be exercising their First Amendment rights and report on these calls to action without any fear of being unsafe.”

He added:

“There is a limited mobilization of the National Guard focused on supporting the needs of local first responders to protect critical infrastructure, such as utilities and fire stations and to ensure Kenoshians are able to assemble safely.”

Major General Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general said:

“Serving our fellow Wisconsin citizens and assisting civil authorities during times of need is one of the core missions in the National Guard. Our Citizen Soldiers and Airmen are well-trained and prepared to assist in any way we can in an effort to preserve public safety.”

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Here is another article from Law Enforcement Today about the officer-involved shooting in Kenosha:

KENOSHA, WI – New video has surfaced providing a different angle of the shooting of 29-year-old North Carolina native, Jacob Blake. 

The incident occurred on Sunday evening between Blake and three Kenosha police officers, at approximately 5:00 p.m.  In the video, Blake and the officers can be seen wrestling on the ground near the rear passenger side of his vehicle. 

Blake managed to free himself from their collective grasp, and was then shown walking around the front of his vehicle, toward his driver side door. Police officers followed him, issuing commands with guns drawn, while a gathering crowd of onlookers screamed toward the scene.

Warning, some viewers may find this video disturbing.

Some onlookers could be heard loudly urging others to move away from the scene, ostensibly sensing that weapons would soon be discharged. 

As one woman screamed off camera at her mother to move away from the scene, the first of seven shots was fired at Blake. 

The shots began after he had continued walking in spite of the officers’ commands, opened his driver side door, and reached inside the vehicle.

Three of Blake’s children were in the back seat of the vehicle when the incident unfolded.  They not only witnessed the entire event, but were placed in danger when Blake entered the vehicle contrary to the officers’ issued directives. 

The last directive issued by the officers, prior to the shots fired was:

“Drop the knife!”

This is according to an interview with 22-year-old Raysean White of Kenosha, who took the latest cellphone video.

Police were dispatched to the scene in response to a domestic violence call received minutes earlier.  White witnessed the domestic disturbance moments before Blake and the police arrived. 

He said that he was drawn to his window, where he witnessed a group of women shouting at one another.  Blake soon pulled up in his vehicle, and directed one of his sons standing outside to get in. 

White never saw or heard Blake address the women.

Upon returning to the window, after leaving briefly, White saw the fight between Blake and the officers who had also arrived.  He witnessed a stun gun being used on Blake before he was able to wrestle himself free.  He recorded the remainder of the incident from his window.

Blake’s father, Jacob Blake Sr., reported that his son is currently hospitalized in stable condition, and has undergone surgery.  He is paralyzed from the waist down, and doctors do not yet know if the paralysis is permanent.  His family is optimistic that the condition will only be temporary, as he continues to recover from surgery.

The Kenosha Police Department has officially placed the officers involved on administrative leave, which is standard practice after an officer involved shooting. 

As Kenosha police do not currently wear body cameras, the two cellphone videos appear to be the only documented footage available of the shooting incident.  The officers were wearing microphones, however. 

The audio recordings from these devices may be released shortly, after investigations by the Kenosha Police Department and the Wisconsin State Justice Department are complete.

The Chicago Tribune reported that there is an outstanding warrant for Blake’s arrest, due to a pending criminal case from last month.  In that case, Blake is charged with 3rd degree sexual assault, disorderly conduct, and trespassing in the context of domestic abuse. 

It is not yet known whether Blake’s apprehension is in connection with the arrest warrant, the domestic disturbance call that the officers were on site to respond to, or both.

A small group of people took to the streets of Kenosha later that evening to protest the shooting.  Within a 24 hour window, the first cellphone video of the driver’s side angle had made it’s rounds on social and mainstream media. 

By Monday evening, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called in the National Guard to respond to violent rioting involving vehicles set ablaze, windows shattered in local businesses, and clashes with riot geared police officers. 

The initial protesting had appeared to escalate into rioting after Governor Evers issued a statement  condemning the shooting and essentially convicted the officer before any type of investigation had even begun, though acknowledging that not all the details are currently known.  

Evers also indicated that he stood with those who “demand justice, equity, and accountability for Black lives in our country,” but failed to indicate that he opposed rioting and looting. 

This led many of his detractors to assume that he encourages it.

The Kenosha Professional Police Association called the statement, “wholly irresponsible and not reflective of the hardworking members of the law enforcement community,” with the circulating cellphone video not fully able to capture the intricacies of the very delicate situation.

While those supporting the police force assess each officer involved shooting based on its own unique set of circumstances, those supporting protests tend to view officer involved shootings cumulatively… protesting police violence against African Americans as a whole. 

The Kenosha PPA recommends that the public wait until investigations are complete and all facts are released, before rushing to judgement.

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Wisconsin AG refuses to say whether Jacob Blake was armed or not: ‘Justice will be served’

“The commitment I make to everyone, the family, the officer, everyone is justice will be served. People will be held responsible for their actions, and we will know the truth.”

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KENOSHA, WI –On August 23rd, Kenosha Police responded to a residence where Jacob Blake was located.  At some point, according to viral video, it is clear that Blake was refusing to listen to orders given to him and he continued to walk away from officers. 

At some point, an officer is seen on video shooting Blake in the back. 

What is not clear is whether he was armed – and whether he was going to his vehicle to get a gun.

The state attorney general refuses to answer questions surrounding that.

On August 23rd, police were dispatched to an unexplained domestic violence situation at the home.  As officers were on scene trying to do their investigation, Raysean White, the person who shot the viral video, told NBC News:

“Then the guy [Blake] that got shot showed up.  He pulled up in his truck, got out of his truck, seen him walk up.  His son was running towards him.  He was picking up his son.  He told his son to get in the grey tuck, we about to go.”

White said that he looked outside again and saw officers struggling with Blake and one of the officers firing her Taser.  That is when White began recording the video of the incident. 

The video clearly shows Blake refusing to stop and obey orders based upon them following him with weapons drawn. 

At one point in the video, it appears as if he has a knife in his right hand, but, because of his dark colored shorts and the graininess of the video, it is difficult to make out.  

Blake continued walking toward the drivers side door of the vehicle which contained his three children in the backseat.

White said he could hear officers “yelling drop the knife.  I didn’t see any weapons in his hands, he wasn’t being violent.” 

The people in the area were yelling at as officers tried to stop Blake from getting into the vehicle.  One officer, with gun drawn, grabs Blake by the shirt, trying to prevent him from entering the car, while yelling at him to stop.

Just as he grabs his shirt, Blake is seen leaning inside the car, apparently going to the floorboard or map pocket of the door.  The officer then opens fire multiple times, striking Blake. 

Police are immediately seen providing medical aid to Blake on the sidewalk as other officers attempt to keep bystanders away.

Blake was airlifted to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee where he underwent surgery for the gunshot wounds.  Blake’s family has said that he has gotten out of surgery and is listed in stable condition. 

Blake, who has a history of assaulting police officers and resisting arrest, had an active warrant out against him at the time of the incident. 

According to Wisconsin Circuit Court records, Blake had a warrant for misdemeanor criminal trespass to a dwelling with domestic abuse as a modifier, felony third-degree sexual assault with domestic abuse as a modifier, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct with domestic abuse as a modifier. 

Blake also had violent run ins with law enforcement in the past.  In 2015, Racine Police were called to assist with allegedly removing Blake who had refused to leave a bar and pulled a gun. 

The criminal complaint in that incident said that Blake and two women were together at a bar called the Brass Monkey.  At some point, Blake began to argue with a man who was in the bar and allegedly pulled a black handgun.

Blake pointed the gun at the victim placing him in fear that he was about to be shot.  As he was pointing the gun at the victim, the magazine fell out and struck the floor. 

An employee in the bar told Blake to leave and he refused, point the gun at other customers inside.  He then left the area in his vehicle which was located by police and stopped.

Since they were told that Blake was armed, they performed a high-risk traffic stop and ordered him to place his hands outside of the window.  Blake refused and exited the car instead, approaching officer. 

Officers ordered him several times to stop and get on the ground and he refused.  Officers had to physically take him down to the ground to attempt to handcuff him, although he refused to give them his hands, forcing them to utilize a police dog and when then able to take him into custody.

Police located a black firearm in the vehicle he was driving as well as a holster that was on Blake’s person.  Blake also allegedly had two loaded magazines and a box of ammunition in the coat he was wearing when he was taken into custody. 

Despite Blake’s apparent violent past and warrant, people of the community want to automatically believe that the shooting was unprovoked. 

Let’s look at the facts:

-There is at least one shot in the video where it appears he may be armed

-He had violent warrants out for his arrest

-He had already physically resisted officers trying to take him into custody

-He refused numerous lawful orders to stop

-Witnesses heard officers yelling to drop ‘the knife’

-It appears Blake was attempting to take something off of his floorboard or map pocket prior to the shots being fired. 

The viral video and word of the shooting sparked protests around the area.  Violent protesters began lighting fires and attacking police vehicles.  The violent protests continued through most of the night.

Police are not releasing much information, stating that they have turned the investigation over to the state Justice Department’s criminal investigations division.  The State Attorney General Josh Kaul released a statement:

“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.”

Democrat Wisconsin Governor, Tony Evers, released a statement alluding that the officers are guilty before an investigation has even been completed.  He said:

“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries.  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

…And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.” 

Here’s more on the second night of riots that have left the city up in flames:

KENOSHA, WI – The second night of unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin brought extensive damage – and widespread destruction against the black business district.

The Department of Corrections building was one of the first to fall.  And with it, seemingly symbolically, fell the American flag.

The riots were sparked by the shooting of a man with an arrest warrant for everything from domestic violence to sexual assault.

What started as a peaceful demonstration, like many, turned violent hours into the curfew.

Arsonists torched commercial and government buildings and car dealership lots.

As the crowd of rioters grew into the hundreds, police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse them.

Protester Porche Bennett, 31, of Kenosha told Reuters that the instigators she saw were white – and not from the city.

“It’s people from out of town doing this. We’ve been shopping there since we were kids and they set it on fire,” Bennett said.

Imagery on social media showed rioters who were both white and black. 

You could see black men smashing traffic signals and street lamps with baseball bats and both white and black men smashing in windshields and headlights of a row of cars.

Reuters reported that one white man riding a skateboard doused a government truck with an accelerant and torched it.

In the meantime, another huge group of rioters launched fireworks and frozen water bottles at police in front of the courthouse.

Here’s the backstory.

Late Sunday, August 23, pervasive looting and vicious riots broke out in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in reaction to the shooting of an African American male by police officers.

On August 23, Kenosha Police responded to a report of domestic violence, where Jacob Blake, a 24-year-old, of Kenosha was the suspect.

Blake is an African American who has a violent criminal history. There was also a warrant issued for his arrest on July 7, 2020. The arrest warrant is for domestic violence, sexual assault, and disorderly conduct.

According to the Daily Wire News, Journalist Drew Hernandez commented that those doing the rioting and looting were Black Lives Matter (BLM) members. BLM also posted various tweets and videos regarding the vicious rioting on Twitter.

The looting and rioting caused a lot of property damage.

Democrat Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers was quick to condemn the police about the shooting of Blake late on Sunday. Blake had been shot earlier in the day by police while responding to a domestic violence incident. Even though Evers didn’t have the complete details of the incident, he still criticized the police for the shooting.

Evers said:

“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries.

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 hand of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.”

Evers added:

“And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites. I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy, equally important is our action. In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.”

The video of the shooting went viral online. It showed that something happened while police were engaged with Blake as they drew their weapons on him. According to Heavy.com, the police had an arrest warrant for Blake.

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The Wisconsin Circuit Court records reveal that Jacob S. Blake who is the same age as the male, with the same address as the block where Blake was shot, had a warrant issued on July 7.

This warrant suspected Blake of misdemeanor criminal trespass to a dwelling with domestic abuse; felony third degree sexual assault with domestic abuse; and misdemeanor disorderly conduct with domestic abuse.

In 2015, the Racine Eye newspaper wrote a story about how:

“Racine police say K9 Dozer had to help officers take a man into custody when the man refused to go quietly into custody after he pulled a gun at a local bar.”

Jacob Blake was that man involved in both the incident in 2015 and on Sunday, August 23, 2020.

In the bar incident, Blake was charged with a felony count of resisting arrest causing a soft tissue injury to a police officer, and a misdemeanor count for carrying a concealed weapon, one count for carrying a firearm while intoxicated, endangering safety-use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct.

These charges were not found on the circuit court website.

The Daily Wire reported:

“The Kenosha Police Department released a statement following the shooting that said that officers were called to the 2800 block of 40th Street, which appears to be the same street that was listed on the arrest warrant that had been issued, to respond to a domestic incident. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating the incident.”

Police officials stated that police on scene provided aid to Blake who was transported to a local hospital. Blake is in serious condition.

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