Two Dead Amid Jacob Blake Protests In Kenosha

Two people have been shot dead on Tuesday night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The incident happened on the third night of unrest in the city following the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake on Sunday.

In a statement, Kenosha Police said officials arrived at the scene to respond to reports of shots being fired in the city. “The shooting resulted in two fatalities and a third gunshot victim was transported to a hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries,” said Kenosha Police.

Authorities have yet to determine the identities of the victims but Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth earlier said that a group of men armed with guns outside a petrol station had been reported in Kenosha. Footage shared online showed a crowd chasing a man with a rifle until he fell onto the ground and fired rounds at the people. Another video also showed armed civilians gathering outside businesses they claimed they were protecting.

The shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday sparked massive protests across the city on Sunday. Since then, there have been reports of protests resulting in damage to government offices and private businesses, as well as of vigilantes turning up to safeguard properties.

A representative of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association revealed that people have been exercising their own form of vigilantism across the city due to limited law enforcement in Kenosha. Following Tuesday’s incident, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said they would send more National Guard troops to deal with the violent protesters.

Donald Trump also said on Wednesday that he would send federal officers to Kenosha to restore law and order in the city. “We will not stand for looting, arson, violence, and lawlessness on American streets,” said Trump. “My team just got off the phone with Governor Evers who agreed to accept federal assistance,” he added.

Protests across Kenosha started within hours of Blake’s shooting. A video of the incident showed Blake opening the door of a car when a police officer grabbed his shirt and several others opened fire. There was an open arrest warrant against Blake on sexual assault and domestic abuse at the time of the incident but it remains unknown if the officers in charge of his shooting were aware of this when they arrived that night to respond to a domestic incident.