Jacob Blake's father says police who 'shot my son like a dog' are 'responsible' for protests that followed


Jacob Blake is paralyzed from the waist down after police officers shot him in the back eight times on Sunday night, his father tells the Chicago Sun-Times.
Police shot Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, on a street in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as he was getting into his SUV, where his children were sitting inside. Video of the shooting quickly started circulating, and turned Kenosha into the latest center of protests against police brutality and racism.
Blake's father, also named Jacob Blake, told the Sun-Times that when he talked to the younger Blake on Sunday morning, he was preparing to celebrate his son's eighth birthday. But now, there are "eight holes" in his Blake's body, and his lower body is paralyzed with no word on if his injury is permanent, the elder Blake said. Witnesses say Blake was trying to break up a verbal fight when two police officers arrived at the scene.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Protests broke out Sunday night at the scene of the shooting and at the Kenosha County Public Safety Building and have continued since. The city instituted a curfew and Gov. Tony Evers (D) called in 125 members of the National Guard on Monday, but people stayed out anyway and set some buildings on fire later that night. Peaceful protests have continued throughout the day as well.
To Blake's father, the police were "the flint as well as the gasoline" sparking those fires and protest, he told the Sun-Times. "Those police officers that shot my son like a dog in the street are responsible for everything that has happened in the city of Kenosha," he continued. Read more of what Jacob Blake's father had to say at the Chicago Sun-Times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
August 24 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Putin at Donald Trump's circus, gallons of whitewash, and a foldable cartoon
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in voting
Cartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugs
Talking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfully
Speed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
-
Texas OKs gerrymander sought by Trump
Speed Read The House approved a new congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republican control
-
Israel starts Gaza assault, approves West Bank plan
Speed Read Israel forces pushed into the outskirts of Gaza City and Netanyahu's government gave approval for a settlement to cut the occupied Palestinian territory in two
-
Court says labor board's structure unconstitutional
Speed Read The ruling has broad implications for labor rights enforcement in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
-
Feds seek harsh charges in DC arrests, except for rifles
Speed Read The DOJ said 465 arrests had been made in D.C. since Trump federalized law enforcement there two weeks ago
-
Trump taps Missouri AG to help lead FBI
Speed Read Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been appointed FBI co-deputy director, alongside Dan Bongino
-
Trump warms to Kyiv security deal in summit
Speed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Trump's support for guaranteeing his country's security 'a major step forward'