'My Son Matters': Family Of Jacob Blake Speaks For First Time

KENOSHA, WI — The family of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was shot and wounded by Kenosha police, spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday as they were joined by civil rights attorney Ben Crump outside the Kenosha County Courthouse.

Jacob Blake's father, also named Jacob Blake, fought back tears when talking about his son. "They shot my son seven times. Seven times. Like he didn't matter. But my son matters. He's a human being, and he matters," he said Tuesday afternoon. "We will be working with some of the best child psychologists in the U.S. All my grandsons ask repeatedly is, 'Why the police shoot my daddy in the back?'"

A team of attorneys headed by Crump said they intend to file a civil lawsuit on Blake's behalf in addition to calling for the arrest of the Kenosha police officer who shot Blake, and the immediate firing of the involved officers who "violated their police training."

Attorney Patrick Salvi said Blake had a bullet go through some or all of his spinal cord, shattering at least one vertebra. The attorney said Blake now has multiple stomach puncture wounds, has kidney and liver damage, and had to have nearly his entire colon and small intestine removed during multiple surgeries over the past 48 hours.

Related Coverage

• Kenosha Buildings Burn In Second Night Of Jacob Blake Protests
• Shop Owner Watched Business Burn In Kenosha Jacob Blake Protests
• Jacob Blake Police Shooting: Wisconsin Leaders, Officials Respond
• Kenosha Police Shooting Of Jacob Blake 'Excessive Force': Biden
• National Guard Called To Kenosha Following Jacob Blake Shooting
• Kenosha Hit By Damage After Jacob Blake Police Shooting: Photos

"Think for a second what these police officers could have done, instead of firing several bullets in the back of Jacob Blake Jr. that is leaving him at this moment paralyzed," Crump said. "Because those bullets severed his spinal cord and shattered his vertebrae, it is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr. to ever walk again. He is currently in surgery as we speak. He is still struggling to sustain his life."

Blake's mother, Julia Jackson, said her son would be saddened if he knew the extent of the destruction that had been visited upon Kenosha in the 48 hours after his shooting.

"This doesn't reflect my son or my family," she said. "If Jacob knew what was going on as far as that goes, the violence and the destruction, he would be very displeased. I am asking and encouraging everyone in Wisconsin and abroad to take a moment and examine your hearts.

"Citizens, police officers, firemen, clergy and politicians. Do Jacob justice on the level and examine your hearts. We need healing."

Letetra Wideman, one of Blake's sisters, said police shooting a Black man is "nothing new."

"I am my brother's keeper, and when you say the name Jacob Blake, make sure you also say father, son and human. Let that marinate in your mind. His life matters," she said. "I stopped crying years ago. I am numb. I have seen police murder people who look like me for years."

Video Captured Blake Shooting

Blake, 29, was shot several times by Kenosha police Sunday during the course of a domestic dispute on the city's north side.

A witness to the shooting recorded the incident on video. In that video, police are seen following Blake around his SUV, grabbing him by the shirt, and opening fire on him several times as he enters his SUV while his children were apparently seated inside.

Blake survived the shooting. The video of Blake's shooting has gone viral, and Kenosha has seen widespread protests ever since.

Public officials of all kinds have weighed in on the shooting — some calling for immediate punishment for the officer who pulled the trigger, others for police and social reforms, and others who are calling for a playing-out of the police investigation into the shooting.

State Of Emergency In Wisconsin

As Blake's family stood near the Kenosha County Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon, a state of emergency was declared in Kenosha County and surrounding areas.

After two nights of widespread protests and damage, Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency in communities across Wisconsin.

Under the order, 250 additional Wisconsin National Guard members will be deployed to Kenosha County. That's in addition to the 125 guard members who were deployed in the city on Monday afternoon. The move comes after several lawmakers implored state officials to add more law enforcement to a community that's been wracked by extebsuve property damage, fires and confrontations with authorities.

Kenosha Fire Department officials said they responded to more than 37 fires between late Monday and early Tuesday. Fire officials said Kenosha police officers were involved in "numerous accidents, assaults and injuries with traumas of varying degrees, including a shooting." One officer was also hit was a mortar round, fire officials said. The extent of the officer's injuries are not currently known.

Fire officials said a major fire on 60th Street from 11th Ave to 14th Avenue nearly leveled several city blocks. Losses included the county's probation office, a Department of Corrections building and several local community businesses and several homes.

Tuesday afternoon, Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said 16 arrests have made since Sunday following protests in the area.

For the second straight night, Kenosha County will implement a curfew from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday. The curfew, which applied Monday night for all residents east of I-94 in Kenosha County, proved to do little good, as protesters fought with police at the Kenosha County Courthouse late Monday, and some torched several buildings downtown and west in Kenosha's Uptown neighborhood.