Jan. 5, 2021 3:22pm Update: 3:55pm
(WGTD)-- No Kenosha police officers will be charged as a result of the August 23rd, 2020 shooting of Jacob Blake. District Attorney Mike Gravely announced his decision at a Tuesday press conference that lasted two hours. Gravely noted that he had a conversation Tuesday with Blake alerting him of his decision.
According to Gravely, on August 23rd Laquisha Booker, the mother of at least one of Jacob Blake's children, called the police after Blake refused to return car keys to Booker's rental car and attempted to drive off. Booker bought a new car and was attempting to return the rental. Blake when officers arrived, according to Gravely, possessed a knife, refused to drop it, and was tazed three times and even ripped out the tazer probes in a scuffle with officer Rusten Shesky. Blake later admitted to authorities he had a knife and resisted arrest. According to officers and an eye witness, Booker told police "There he (Blake) is, he is going to take my kid and my car." During the investigation Shesky told authorities "I don't know what he (Blake) is going to do, is he going to hurt the child? will he hold the child hostage?" Shesky says he believed he saw Blake move a knife towards his lower torso and subsequently fired seven shots. According to Shesky, and an independent use of force expert who investigated the case, Noble Wray, KPD officers are trained to shoot until there is no longer a threat. Wray said he believed the shots were in an "acceptable range."
Booker had called the police at least four other times to deal with Blake as he attempted to take Booker's car keys in both Zion, IL and Kenosha. One such event led Blake to crash one of Booker's previous vehicles, according to Gravely.
Gravely said that after the confrontation Blake told Shesky, "I am going to die." Shesky responded, "You're going to be ok." Blake is now paralyzed from the waste down.
Read the entire Department of Criminal Investigation report here.
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