Do you need further proof that we don’t matter?
The Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer who shot Jacob Blake seven times, leaving him paralyzed, is back on the job.
On August 23 last year, officers responded to a 9-1-1 domestic disturbance call. When they arrived to the scene, they tried to detain Blake, who was not cooperating with them and, instead, continued to try to get inside his SUV, in which officers saw children inside.
That is when Officer Rusten Sheskey shot at Blake’s back seven times when Blake opened the driver’s door of his vehicle. Three of Blake’s sons were in the backseat at the time. Four of the bullets hit Blake in the back, leaving the 29-year-old father disabled.
Many say this was a clear case of excessive force, but police say it was justified. Sheskey claimed he opened fire because he was afraid that Blake was attempting to kidnap the children and flee the scene.
“Although this incident has been reviewed at multiple levels, I know that some will not be pleased with the outcome,” Police Chief Daniel Miskinis announced. “However, given the facts, the only lawful and appropriate decision was made.
The police chief said it has been determined that Sheskey acted within policy and will not be subjected to discipline. He returned from administrative leave on March 31 and is on full active duty.
Sheskey was sworn in as a Kenosha officer in 2013, His family has a background in law enforcement, as his grandfather served in the department for many years.
Prior to joining the Kenosha Police Department, Sheskey was employed at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where he worked from 2009 to 2013, starting as a dispatcher, then worked his way up to a police service associate and, finally, an officer.
The police shooting was followed by unrest, which included rallies, marches, property damage, arson, and clashes with police. Two protesters were also fatally shot in a confrontation with an armed civilian. Blake’s name was chanted in protests in other cities as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, which resurged in the wake of several high-profile killings by police officers in 2020.
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