Father of Black Man in Officer-Involved Kenosha Shooting Says Son Is Paralyzed from the Waist Down

Jacob Blake, the black man at the center of the officer-involved shooting that occurred in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, is paralyzed from the waist down, according to his father.

In a Monday release, Kenosha police said Blake, 29, remained hospitalized in “serious condition.” But now, his father says his son is partially paralyzed.

“I want to put my hand on my son’s cheek and kiss him on his forehead, and then I’ll be OK. I’ll kiss him with my mask. The first thing I want to do is touch my son,” he said, revealing that his son is paralyzed from the waist down. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, doctors do not yet know if it is a permanent injury.

Protesters have torched the city two nights in a row following the viral video of the altercation, which shows Blake walking toward a vehicle with police, who were responding to a “domestic incident” and drawing their weapons. Blake proceeded to the vehicle and leaned in, at which point, shots were fired.

The Kenosha Professional Police Association released a sharp statement on Monday, asking the public to withhold judgment until the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, completes its investigation, as the video does not provide details of what led up to the forceful confrontation. Another video, published by the Daily Mail on Monday, showed Blake tussling with officers prior to the viral altercation. According to Kenosha News, police attempted to subdue him with a taser prior to the shooting.

It would not be Blake’s first time resisting law enforcement. A 2015 article details an incident involving a 24-year-old Jacob Blake pulling a gun on bar patrons in Racine:

Jacob Blake, 24, of Racine, was charged Monday in Racine County Circuit Court with one felony count of resisting arrest causing a soft tissue injury to a police officer and one misdemeanor count each of carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a firearm while intoxicated, endangering safety-use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct. If convicted, he will face up to 8-1/2 years in prison and/or up to $50,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint, Blake and two women were at the Brass Monkey tavern, 1436 Junction Avenue, Saturday when Blake got into an argument with another patron and pulled a black handgun. Blake pointed the gun at the other man, and the magazine fell to the floor. The bartender told Blake to leave, and he did but then pointed the gun through the window at patrons inside the bar before walking south on Junction Avenue.

Local news reports that Kenosha County prosecutors “charged Blake on July 6 with sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct in connection with domestic abuse,” with an arrest warrant issued the next day. However, it remains unclear if the incident was connected to the arrest warrant.

Rioters took to the streets of Kenosha for the second night Monday, torching businesses in protest of the officer-involved shooting.